Google is commemorating the achievements of the scientist Julius Richard Petri today with a Google Doodle that shows his invention - the Petri dish - in action.

The terms ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ and ‘good news’ do not normally go together, but a group of researchers from the University of Oxford believe they have engineered a protein from flesh-eating bacteria that acts as a molecular ‘superglue’ and could be used to help detect cancer cells.

If you’re reading this while eating breakfast and you happened to drop your toast on the floor, you might want to stop (eating, that is, not reading).

Carl Woese was a biophysicist and microbiologist who uncovered the "third domain" of life, with the detection of archaea. In doing so he redrew the taxonomic tree and proved that all life on Earth is related.

Ikea, the world’s leading flat-pack furniture retailer, has withdrawn chocolate almond cake sold in its stores in 23 countries after it was found to contain sewage bacteria.

Widespread use of antibiotics in hospitals triggered the emergence of two resistant strains of the Clostridium superbug which has killed thousands of people worldwide over the past two decades, a study has shown.

Global epidemic of C. difficile that killed thousands were caused by two separate strains

The meningitis bacterium lives harmlessly in the noses and throats of one in 10 people but,  for reasons that are not fully understood, can erupt into a  life-threatening illness  that causes inflammation of the membrane  around the brain – the “meninges” – and can lead to death within hours.

If Savita Halappanavar’s condition was an obstetric emergency, as has been described, then her doctors were under a duty to do whatever was necessary to save her life, even if that meant sacrificing the life of the foetus.

A Marmite ingredient could help doctors defeat the MRSA superbug, research suggests.

Microbes found on seaweed could provide an unexpected weapon in the fight against tooth decay, scientists have said.

The number of cases of Legionnaires' disease recorded in a deadly outbreak has risen again.

The firm behind the Colgate brand has been reprimanded by the advertising watchdog for wrongly implying that one of its toothpastes has the backing of health professionals.

Man contracted the disease after being bitten whilst attempting to get a mouse away from a stray cat