Hail the Mighty, Lowly Bacterium!

Light On Light Through · Jul 28, 2007

This seems to be my week for reading articles that feature unusual feats of critters that figure in my science fiction. Scientists at University of California-Davis now think bacteria may be useful in making buildings more resistant to earthquakes - by converting crumbly, sandy soil into rock. I'm glad to see the lowly bacterium get its due.

Ever since Louis Pasteur and The Microbe Hunters and all of that stuff, the bacterium has had a bad rep. Sure, they can make us sick, but good bacteria can also help us digest our food. They don't ask for much in return, just a nice warm place to live, in…