Clover likes bacteria, and certain bacteria like it. Nodule bacteria (rhizobia) like to live together with plants from the legume family. In addition to clover, these include important forage plants such as soya beans and peas. Both partners benefit from the presence of the other. This coexistence of different species for mutual...

Indeed! In 2010, the genetic material of a bacterium was recreated with the help of a computer and inserted into the empty cell of another bacterium. The empty cell thus took on the identity of the bacterium on whose model the genetic material was artificially modelled.

Each type of bacteria can handle salt and sugar differently. However, bacteria cannot tolerate an infinite amount of salt or sugar in their immediate environment, as this removes water from the cells.

Microbes have had a significant influence on evolution and have therefore also helped to shape our life today. Several billion years ago, the Earth's atmosphere contained only a very low proportion of oxygen (O2). Existing life forms were therefore adapted to oxygen-free or oxygen-poor (anaerobic) conditions. When the Earth was about...

Sweet jam could also be tempting for bacteria - but it isn't: home-made or bought jam can be kept even at room temperature. The high sugar content preserves the cooked fruit very reliably. The reason for this is the reduced water activity, i.e. the amount of water available (not the water content!). Like all living organisms, bacteria...

Predators also exist in the world of microorganisms. Competition for nutrients is high, which is why some bacteria have specialised in using other organisms as a source of food. Such predatory bacteria produce certain substances such as enzymes and antibiotics to break open the cell envelope of their prey and decompose the prey...

Similar to humans, many microbes have hair of different shapes and lengths. Some microbial species have only a few hairs, others are completely hairy, and still others are bald; in contrast to human hair, which consists of dead cells (horn) and thus forms a cell appendage, microbial hair consists of cell extensions. These are...

The orientation of bacteria is similar to a game of Hit the Pot: As in this blindfolded search, the cell only approaches the target by trial or error. It gets there by continuing to move as it approaches the target ("it gets warmer and warmer") - and randomly changing direction in between.

Photosynthetic bacteria utilise sunlight as a source of energy. This is why most processes in these microbes - including purple, green, helio and cyanobacteria - such as cell division, take place during the day. However, the cells do not sleep at night; they are also active in the dark phases, albeit less than during the day. They...