Geobacter bacteria use uranium reducing conductive pili “nanowires” to thrive in toxic waste

When most people think of the microbiology of the built environment they think of pathogens that hang out in buildings. Here’s a neat story about a helpful bacteria that lives in a very different kind of “built environment”… a uranium mill tailings site.  These tailings facilities are where all the waste and excess rock from …

Ever been grossed out by hospital workers wearing scrubs wherever they go? New study relates to this

When I walk around UC Davis campus or visit areas near hospitals I am always dismayed by the number of people wearing their scrubs when they go out to lunch, seminars, or just walk around.  I have always wondered whether those scrubs harbor anything nasty.  Well, a new study in the American Journal of Infection Control …

Crosspost: An ecosystem in my house? Yes indeed. And with microbes too. #BostonGlobe #microBEnet

Cross posting this from my Tree of Life blog: Well I am very excited about this article in the Boston Globe today: Ecosystem, sweet ecosystem – The Boston Globe. By Courtney Humphries the article discusses the Sloan Foundation program in the “Indoor Environment” that is focusing on microbial ecology of the built environment. I am, well, really into …

More on bacteria in city air: “Your faeces, my furry friend, are blowin’ in the wind”

Well, kudos I suppose to the headline writer for this one: Your faeces, my furry friend, are blowin’ in the wind – health – 12 August 2011 – New Scientist. The article is about recent work by Noah Fierer and colleagues on bacteria in outdoor air in cities. Not exactly microbiology of the built environment …

“NIST Finds That Ethanol-Loving Bacteria Accelerate Cracking of Pipeline Steels”

When people hear “microbiology of the built environment” they tend to think first of buildings.   But the built environment includes so much more, ranging from transportation (cars/planes/space shuttles) to swimming pools to highway bridges. The National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) has a test facility where they study biofuels.   They recently presented some results …

New study concerning “Indoor mold poses key asthma risk for babies”

The association between moisture/dampness and negative health indicators (e.g. asthma) is quite well documented.   This is usually pinned on an unspecified “mold” although in reality the causative agent(s) is unknown.   For an excellent and detailed review of this topic see here.   A new study came out this week that looked in particular at the …