Hibernating bacteria can invade hospitals and survive outer space – but their high energy bill is a weakness that scientists can strike
2 sources·Updated September 28, 2026
Covered by 2 sources
- Phys.org Science·7h agoHibernating bacteria can invade hospitals and survive outer space—but their energy budget reveals a weakness
A spore is a bacterium's survival capsule: dried almost solid and wrapped in protein armor, with its chemical processes shut down. Bacteria enter this state of hibernation when environmental conditions are unfavorable. What's left is close to indestructible: It can survive…
Read at Phys.org Science → - The Conversation US·15h agoHibernating bacteria can invade hospitals and survive outer space – but their high energy bill is a weakness that scientists can strike
_Bacillus subtilis_ produces near-indestructible spores. Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc./Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A spore is a bacterium’s survival capsule: dried almost solid, wrapped in protein armor and chemical processes shut down. Bacteria enter this state of hibernation…
Read at The Conversation US →