#Microbes

All articles tagged with "Microbes"

‘Highly Plausible’ Aliens on Europa Are Earthlings’ Descendants, Study Says

Could Europa Already Host Earth Life? A Study Revives a Panspermia Question

A new study argues that bacteria launched from Earth on dust grains could plausibly reach Europa and, in rare cases, survive long enough to matter.

Key Takeaways

A new study examines whether Earth bacteria could reach Europa on dust grains.
The paper argues the transport pathway is highly plausible over long timescales.

DT Editorial Team·May 30, 2026·via 404media.co

Hidden in Hair Follicles, Immune ‘Sentinel’ Cells May Help Skin Detect Threats

Researchers report previously unrecognized immune surveillance structures in hair follicles, suggesting the skin may monitor microbes and environmental exposure through more specialized local gateways than previously

Key Takeaways

Scientists found previously unrecognized immune surveillance structures in hair follicles.
The cells resemble M cells known from the gut and airway.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 25, 2026·via medicalxpress.com

Synthetic Biology’s ‘Mirror Life’ Dream Has Turned Into a Debate About Catastrophic Risk

Researchers once saw mirror-image microbes as a frontier science project with major medical potential. Now some of the same scientists warn that the technology could pose existential biological risks.

Key Takeaways

Researchers initially saw mirror microbes as a path to major scientific and medical advances.
By 2024, some of the same scientists warned the organisms could evade natural predators and immune defenses.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 15, 2026·via technologyreview.com