Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life

E. coli, or E. coli, is a microorganism that we encounter almost daily, but which is one of the most important tools of biological science. Many major events in the history of biology are associated with it, from the discovery of DNA to the latest achievements in genetic engineering. E. coli is the most studied living thing on Earth. Interestingly, E. coli is a social microbe.