Rival colonies of bacteria can produce a lethal chemical that keeps competitors at bay, scientists report this week. By halting the growth of nearby colonies and even killing some of the cells ...

This is the same complex scenario that scientists face when we study bacteria. There are about a billion of them in a colony the size of the tip of a pencil, but when we look at the whole colony ...

Biofilms—slimy communities of bacteria—grow on all sorts of surfaces: from glaciers and hot springs to plant roots, your bathtub and fridge, wounds, and medical devices such as catheters. Most ...

On a ship’s hull, bacterial colonies can become a base for seaweed and other growth that increases drag. In 2016, America’s armed forces reckoned unwanted biofilms cost “billions” each year.

As your dentist has no doubt told you time and again, cavities are caused by plaque on our teeth. This plaque is technically a biofilm – a colony of bacteria that binds together to resist removal.

A white, cottony-looking mat of marine bacteria has been discovered blanketing underwater stretches of Hood Canal, according to research from the Skokomish Indian Tribe. The jellylike bacteria ...

Bacteria that can consume oil or fuel have been used to help clean up spills in the ocean, but their use in freshwater has been limited by a lack of research. A Michigan Technological University ...