science

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life rather than just read about it. In short: Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life is a 2008 book by science writer Carl Zimmer. The book presents an overview of genetics research and genetic engineering by telling the story about the Escherichia coli (E. coli) species of bacteria which is omnipresent in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract.

Key takeaways

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life is a 2008 book by science writer Carl Zimmer. The book presents an overview of genetics research and genetic engineering by telling the story about the Escherichia coli (E. coli) species of bacteria which is omnipresent in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The title Microcosm refers to the notion that insights derived from the study of a relatively simple, single-celled organism like E. coli play in describing the fundamental features of all terrestrial life, including humans.

Overview Microcosm explores the history of E. coli's role as a popular organism to study for researchers that has revealed how genes work and are regulated giving insight into evolution, behaviour and ecology. Beginning at its discovery in 1885 by pediatrician and microbiologist Theodor Escherich, through isolation of the strain K12 by Edward Tatum, and leading to the numerous Nobel prize winning research based on the K12 strain and its progeny, the book recounts the large number of scientific discoveries that have relied on this simple organism. The book continues on to reviews of modern and ongoing research leveraging E. coli including details about research exploring cellular nanomachines such as flagella and the composition and utility of microbial biofilms.

Evolution vs. intelligent design The book makes the case that the flagellum and antibiotic resistance evolved and continue to evolve due to selection pressure. Zimmer devotes considerable attention to phenotypic plasticity and natural selection in E. coli genesis and notes that selection can be powered by humans individually (e.g., by antibiotic administration), collectively (e.g., by large-scale industrial food production), or inadvertently (e.g., by acting as host to a microbial pathogen). The book refutes the notion of intelligent design as the source of novel features of the organism, such as the flagellum that are capable of propelling E. coli, by exploring examples of more primitive, intermediate forms that, while useful, fall short of full utility of propulsion. Though not a scientist himself, the acknowledgment section suggests that Zimmer’s theses have been vetted by multiple members of current E. coli researchers.

Publication Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life was first published by Pantheon Books on May 6, 2008, in hardcover format. A Reprint edition in softcover was subsequently published in by Vintage Books in 2009.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life

In research: Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2008 non-fiction books, DNA replication, Popular science books, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life in simple terms?

Why does Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life.