How bacteria use electrochemical potentials to solve complex problems

 

Despite their unassuming simplicity, bacteria are capable of performing highly complex functions. Following our discovery of bacterial action potentials in biofilms, we have shown that bacteria use electrochemical potential to orchestrate various stress responses at both the single cell and community levels. These findings have revealed a surprising similarity between bacteria and neurons. In my talk, I will present our recent efforts to uncover the computational power of bacteria and their communities.