While most people have learned to fear and hate bacteria and other microscopic organisms (just watch some soap commercials), people have carried healthy bacterial cells around them with their most human cells. It is estimated that there are ten times more bacterial cells than a nobody in the number of cells bearing a person's own genetic code. About 100 trillion microscopic life forms generally live peacefully on (or in) our bodies, but pathogens make us suspicious of each. In our struggle to defeat the evil, however, we must be careful to limit collateral damage. Here are some projects that work in the fight against the "bad" bacteria without killing everyone.

• acne plagues millions of people and their treatments are not always effective - as well as some anti-virus to kill the bacteria that cause acne breakouts? The trick is the key to killing only specific bacteria and not all beneficial natural bacteria that live in everyone's skin. [Url]

bacteriotherapy a rare procedure medical or fecal transplantation, efforts to restore the natural intestinal flora person. Antibiotics can sometimes kill more germs, which makes people sick, and sometimes the solution is to create the right balance of microbes in a patient. [Url]

Synthetic biology could create bacteria that prevent cavities, lactose intolerance solve, provide vitamins and do all sorts of beneficial things for us. Imagine eating yogurt to replace the bacteria in the digestive tract or mouth ... (And then wait 28 days for the Zombie Apocalypse). [Url]


If you want to read something more interesting and evocative, see this link (but not totally random!) Post Techdirt.