Bacteria That Eat Antibiotics (broadcast Friday, April 4th, 2008)

One of hundreds of bacteria recently discovered to be capable of eating antibiotics. The photo was taken on a microscope using 1-5 X magnification and was modified in Adobe Photoshop CS2 to improve contrast and color tones. Image © Science

It sounds like something out of science fiction -- instead of being killed by antibiotics, some bacteria instead eat antibiotics for lunch. Researchers report this week in the journal Science that they've found a group of bacterial living in soil that can consume both natural and synthetic antibiotic compounds as their sole source of carbon-based food. The researchers found several hundred species of bacteria with the antibiotic-eating ability, some of which are related to bacteria capable of causing disease in humans and animals. In this segment, Ira talks with one of the researchers about the work and whether the finding is cause for concern. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.