Bacteria and viruses are often lumped together as germs, and they share many characteristics. They’re invisible to the human eye. They’re everywhere. And both can make us sick. Bacteria and viruses ...

How did viruses evolve? Are they a streamlined form of something that existed long ago, or an ultimate culmination of smaller genetic elements joined together? Aa Aa Aa The evolutionary history of ...

Penn State scientists uncovered an ancient bacterial defense where dormant viral DNA helps bacteria fight new viral threats. The enzyme PinQ flips bacterial genes to create protective proteins that ...

Viruses in human-made environments cause public health concerns, but they are generally less studied than bacteria. A recent study led by environmental scientists provided the first evidence of ...

Long before humans became interested in killing bacteria, viruses were on the job. Viruses that attack bacteria, termed “phages” (short for bacteriophage), were first identified by their ability to ...

Even within your own body, your 30 trillion human cells can’t compete with the 40 trillion or so bacteria that live rent-free in your gut, on your skin, under your toenails. Your very DNA owes a ...

Cancer research has long looked at bacteria and viruses as separate tools for therapy. Now, researchers are showing that the two can actually work better together. A team of scientists has built a new ...

Marine viruses deploy a sophisticated Trojan horse maneuver that enables them to dismantle the energy systems of ocean ...