Microbial Email: Scientists Discover Wired Bacteria
We might think we're something special with our global communications network, and we're right, but bacteria are able to grow electrical connections out of their own bodies. A feat beyond all mortals except Steve Rogers. Recent research shows that single-celled organisms may be sending electrical-mails of their own.
The recent discovery of biological nanowires has opened a whole new field in bacterial investigation. Still in its early stages, the research has already discovered organisms which build tiny electrical connections out of rust and others which can extrude their own thin wiring. These are used by some bacteria to acquire metal atoms, but it seems they may have many more uses.
Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute believe that the wires, which can even connect different species, could be used for energy or even information exchange. The concept of single-cell semaphore isn't so unlikely - we already know that bacteria can exchange chemical signals, and if they're also connected by a conducting wire they could use that too.
The implications are incredible. You've often heard how insects outnumber every single one of us, but bacteria far outstrip them and us with human cells outnumbered ten to one even within our own bodies. Anything we can learn about energy distribution and communication at this level would be fascinating, quite apart from the movie potential of a mass-minded bacterial army.
Luke McKinney.
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