Swords, cannibalism, poison: inside the world of killer microbes

Some microbe species have evolved to stab, bomb, cannibalize, or poison each other. Can we harness their weapons for good?

There is a murderous crime spree happening right under—and perhaps inside—our noses. Killer microbes armed with weapons are eviscerating, assassinating, and detonating their fellow microbes. And the newest culprit? A protist that morphs into a cannibilastic supergiant when times get tough. 

Host Flora Lichtman talks with Glen D’Souza and Ben Larson, two detectives who study these micro-murders. They chat about why microbes kill, how they choose their victims, and whether we can harness those weapons for good. 

Guests:

Dr. Glen D’Souza is a microbiologist and assistant professor at Arizona State University in Tempe. 

Dr. Ben Larson is an assistant professor and cell biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. 

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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