Bacterial Builders

Check out this awesome video of a computer-controlled swarm of magnetic bacteria building a pyramid out of tiny bricks!!!

From IEEE Spectrum, via It Takes 30, the always fascinating blog from Harvard Systems Biology, the department my lab is in!

More like this

That is unbelievable awesome! Thanks for sharing!

These bacterium are, of course, part French, which, besides responding to their electromagnet-wielding masters, might also contribute to the high degree of co-ordinated flagellation.

The thing I found most intriguing was magnetosomes. Do these have properties that make them more versatile than just responding to electromagnetic influences -- and if so, do you try to use any of these in your own work?

By Plinthy The Middling (not verified) on 03 Sep 2010 #permalink

I don't know a lot about magnetosomes, but I have a friend who is working on them. I'm hoping to do a little more reading for a post when his paper comes out so stay tuned :)

I've just discovered your blog... Wow, this is utterly amazing! I've never even heard of magnetosomes. Thanks!

By Drake Clark (not verified) on 09 Sep 2010 #permalink