Name: How bacteria "talk"
Uploaded: 2009-04-08T01:00:00Z
Duration: 17 min 54 s
Description: Bonnie Bassler discovered that bacteria "talk" to each other, using a chemical language that lets them coordinate defense and mount attacks. The find has stunning implications for medicine, industry -- and our understanding of ourselves.

Bonnie Bassler discovered that bacteria "talk" to each other, using a chemical language that lets them coordinate defense and mount attacks. The find has stunning implications for medicine, industry -- and our understanding of ourselves.

How bacteria "talk"

Bacteria, though tiny and ancient, outnumber human cells ten to one and shape our health in profound ways. They use a sophisticated chemical language to sense their numbers and act collectively, from glowing in squid to launching coordinated attacks in the human body. This chemical 'quorum sensing' lets them distinguish between self and other, orchestrate complex behaviors, and even evade traditional antibiotics. Harnessing or disrupting these conversations could transform medicine and reveal the roots of multicellular life.