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The Discovery FilesBac-Trac
Bacteria's use of "swim and tumble" maneuvers and chemical secretions helps them move toward food or away from poisons as they encounter obstacles, such as those found in the human gastrointestinal tract. The research, which involved an "obstacle course" of microfluidic chambers to experiment on the bacteria, holds implications for not only biology and medicine, but also robotic search and rescue tactics.
Credit: National Science Foundation/Karson Productions
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