June 2025
Fantastic Microbes and Where to Find Them
An extremophile hunt is underway to leverage their resilience tactics, from medicine to space exploration.
Features
Reading Frames
How Tiny Organisms Control Minds, Create Zombies, and Shape Ecosystems
Mindy Weisberger’s book, Rise of the Zombie Bugs, explores the sophisticated—and macabre—relationships between zombifying parasites and their hosts.
Foundations
The Alpha-Gal Syndrome Story: How Researchers Traced a Red-Meat Allergy to Ticks
At the intersection of a red meat allergy and a cancer-drug reaction investigations, researchers pinned a lone star culprit.
A Serendipitous Shadow Brought the Brain’s Visual Pathways to Light
David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel discovered how the cerebral cortex processes visual information. Their research won them the Nobel Prize and revolutionized our understanding of the brain.
Editorial
The Circular Chase of Microbe Hunters
Researchers scour the Earth in search of resilient microbes but hope that the pathogenic kind remain hidden.
Profiles
The “Virus Hunter” Who Advanced Public Health, One Tool at a Time
In his 40-year epidemiology career, Ian Lipkin has done it all: from discovering 2,000 viruses to solving a nationwide SARS crisis.
Contributors
Meet the Team: Karen Evans
With a profound love of science and business savvy, Karen Evans melds the two passions to share innovative technology and life science news.
Speaking of Science
A Microbial Mindbender
Tiny but mighty: Can you solve this microbiology puzzle?
