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Pasteurization: Microbial Dominance & Destruction
Pasteurization is a process of treatments designed to remove microbes from milk. Most microbes inhabiting raw milk are lactic acid...

Sylvia Rose
Jan 10, 20255 min read


Binary Fission: Speedy Microbe Reproduction
Binary fission is the primary method of reproduction for bacteria and other single-celled microbes, commonly explained as a parent cell...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 28, 20245 min read


Bacteria & Archaea: Differences & Similarities
Bacteria and archaea are the oldest life forms on Earth. Both defined as prokaryotes , they are fundamentally different in several ways....

Sylvia Rose
Dec 25, 20246 min read


Vulcano: Child Miners, Gods & Extremophiles
Vulcano is part of the Aeolian Island archipelago of Italy. Named for Vulcan, Roman god of fire and metalworking, Vulcano is a unique...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 24, 20245 min read


Microbe pH Levels: Acidophiles, Neutrophiles & Alkaliphiles
Acidophiles, neutrophiles, and alkaliphiles are microbes which prosper at certain pH levels and environmental conditions such as sulfur...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 17, 20245 min read


GI Yeast Hunter: Bacteroides thetaiotomicron
Bacteroides thetaiotomicron is found in the human gastrointestinal tract (GI) as part of the normal digestive system biota, along with...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 16, 20245 min read


Bdellovibrio: Lifestyles of Predatory Bacteria
Bdellovibrio predatory bacteria are gram-negative , obligate aerobic bacteria who hunt other gram-negative bacteria to feed on their...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 11, 20245 min read


Killer Yeast: Assassins of the Microworld
Killer yeasts secrete toxic proteins. Known as killer toxins, the proteins can eliminate susceptible cells within their own species or...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 10, 20246 min read


Difference Between Gram-Positive & Gram-Negative Bacteria
Differences between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are fairly straightforward, related to cell membrane structure. Knowing...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 9, 20243 min read


Predators of the Microworld: Vampirovibrio & Lysobacter
Vampirovibrio and Lysobacter are types of bacteria known to attack, kill and eat other bacteria. Hunting tactics are similar to the...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 9, 20245 min read


Silicon (Si): Fueling the Robot Apocalypse
Silicon (Si) is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, a ductile metal important to industry and natural processes. Silicon is used...

Sylvia Rose
Dec 1, 20245 min read


Zaffre: Vintage Cobalt Blue Glass & Artists' Pigment
Zaffre (zaffer) is a vibrant deep blue pigment developed by alchemists, major pigment creators, by c. 1550 AD. Characterized by brilliant...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 27, 20246 min read


Flowers of Antimony: Pure Medieval Purgative
Flowers of antimony are a purified form of antimony trioxide (Sb2O3). Created through sublimation, they have chemical and medical...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 25, 20244 min read


Uric Acid: Inner Works of the Human Body
Uric acid is formed in humans during breakdown of purines. Purines are naturally produced in the body, and found in some foods and...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 21, 20244 min read


Mercury II Oxide: Red & White of Alchemy
In practical alchemy, mercury II oxide (HgO) is often called the "Red Precipitate," with its compound Mercuric Amidochloride (Hg(NH2)Cl),...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 18, 20247 min read


Biometallurgy: Microbes Mining Metals
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is only one of the amazing bacteria used in biometallurgy. In an age of environmental concerns,...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 12, 20245 min read


Foodborne Fungi and Mold: Facts & Dangers
Foodborne molds can endanger health, home and family. Hidden in pantry and fridge, these hardy survivors are unnoticed and dormant until...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 10, 20249 min read


Aspergillus Flavus Mold: Origins, Behavior, Dangers
Aspergillus flavus is a filamentous mold or fungal organism found in soil, decaying vegetation, grains and nuts, especially peanuts and...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 9, 20245 min read


Food Pathogens: Family Health & Safety
Pathogens of food include Bacillus cereus , Salmonella typhimurium , Aeromonas hydrophila , and Pseudomonas fragi . Each of these...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 9, 20243 min read


Scheele's Green: History's Most Toxic Pigment
Scheele's Green is a rich, vibrant green. Its color appeal surpasses that of the copper carbonate paints of the late 18th century and...

Sylvia Rose
Nov 9, 20245 min read
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