Bacteria use collisions to navigate crowded environments, micro-maze experiments reveal
Researchers at EPFL have discovered that Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria use physical touch to navigate crowded environments. This sensory mechanism allows them to reverse direction upon collision, helping them disperse more effectively.
Why it matters
Understanding how bacteria navigate complex environments provides insights into microbial behavior, which could have implications for treating infections and understanding biological systems.
by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Some bacteria can sense when they bump into each other and use these interactions to shape how the group organizes and moves. This discovery reveals a new way microbes explore their environments using physical feedback rather than chemical signals.
"Whether in fish schools, bird flocks or human crowds, moving as a group can offer safety and efficiency, but it can also lead to congestion and jamming," says Alexandre Persat, a professor at EPFL. "How individuals balance coordinated movement with the need to break away and explore on their own remains a central question across living systems."
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