In May 2025, a group of 140 bright minds from all over New Jersey came together at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. They were there for the annual spring meeting of the Theobald Smith Society. This wasn't just any meeting. It was a two-day event celebrating the amazing world of microbiology. The group was a mix of students, teachers, and professionals from differen...

Wolbachia bacteria are incredibly common. They live inside the cells of more than half of all insect species. These tiny invaders can stop pathogens from multiplying and spread quickly among insect populations. This makes them a key player in efforts to control diseases spread by mosquitoes. The more Wolbachia there is in an insect's body, the better it can do its jo...

In the heart of Finland, a new giant virus has been discovered. This isn't your typical virus. It's a giant, and it's got a name: Jyvaskylavirus. It was found in a compost pile in Jyväskylä, a city in central Finland. The virus is part of a group called Marseilleviruses, which are known for being huge and complex. This particular virus infects a type of single-celled...