Mutable Matter

Thanks to my favourite radio programme, The Material World, I now know two new ‘words’: the first one is ‘nutraceutical’ and the second one (well, not really a word but two) is ‘quorum sensing’. A Canadian website gives an amusing definition of ‘nutraceutical’, which is:

‘A nutraceutical is a product isolated or purified from foods that is generally sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with foods.’

Basically it’s concentrated food components in capsules which claim to have certain health benefits. Garlic oil capsules are one example.

‘Quorum sensing’ was described in the programme as ‘microbial Esperanto’ that is spoken in ‘bacteria city’. Unlike the Esperanto of the macroscale, its microbial version is a very successful form of communication between bacteria. How do they talk then? They apparently release different numbers of molecules into their environment called ‘signalling molecules’. Apparently, bacteria do not employ a universal language, so not all species of bacteria can communicate amongst each other and form one large conspiracy, although I have the feeling that some people (especially those working in the cleaning product industry) think they have acquired universal dictionaries and directed their actions towards the doom of humanity. Lucky for them, scientists – after their initial joy over discovering this language – are already researching how to turn this bacterial communication off! According to the programme, they do this on two different routes: the ‘natural route’ which includes experiments with garlic, algae, and (i think) fungi, and the ‘synthetic route’ which was not much further explained. It made me wonder whether they could just try to talk to them and ask them to do something else rather than rendering them speechless. But then the bacteria might tell them to shut up anyway…

Source: www.nearingzero.net