Compost is a complex network of life, such as insects and generations of unseen microorganisms. In this earthy metropolis they busily...

Earthworms are movers and shakers of ecosystems. They're essential for the health and fertility of soil. They provide nutrients to plants...

Nucleic acids include DNA and RNA. They store, transmit and express genetic information in all living organisms. They define human...

Glutamates enhance flavors like umami, making them invaluable in cuisine. One of the best known forms is monosodium glutamate (MSG),...

Compost is the heart of sustainable gardening. Composting turns scraps into nutritious soil, with help from microbes and other organisms....

Bacteria communicate using autoinducers, or signals. Autoinducers help bacteria coordinate their actions. In quorum sensing they inspire...

Quorum sensing enables microorganisms to communicate effectively. This coordinates behavior among bacterial communities. In quorum...

Apples ripen and fall to undergo earthly decomposition. Transformation from a crisp fruit to disappearance in the soil ecosystem is a...

Hormones, a term derived from the Greek word hormao meaning to excite or arouse, are signaling molecules sent by cells to influence...

Pheromones are communication tools. Chemical substances released by an organism into the environment trigger responses to relay...

The Crabtree effect causes yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce alcohol in an oxygenated habitat under osmotic pressures from...

Biofilms are prosperous microbial communities, complex networks of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and algae. Their secretions,...

Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are historically entwined with the evolution of Earth. They convert sunlight, water, and...

Phytoplankton are microscopic plants of the waters. Phytoplankton support marine life, influence climate and health. A diverse group of...

Long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) are nutritional components of human and environmental health. From supporting brain function to regulating...

Pectin is a polysaccharide found in nature, cooking and confectionary. A type of fiber, it fortifies the structure of plants and is...

Methane is a colorless, odorless gas. The simplest hydrocarbon, it consists of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. It is the...

Methanogenesis or biomethanation, is biochemical process influencing the Earth's carbon cycle. Specialized microorganisms, methanogens...

Acetogenesis influences ecosystems and human health. Reducing organic matter by microorganism action, acetogenesis makes acetic acid, the...

Acetate is a short chain fatty acid produced by microbes. In natural processes and biological functions, acetate has many tasks in...