Talks

Bonnie Bassler on how bacteria "talk"

You either have JavaScript turned off or have an old version of the Adobe Flash Player. To view this video you need to get the latest Flash player.
If your browser allows only "trusted sites" to execute Javascript, you should add the "googleapis.com" domain to your whitelist to allow our Flash detection to work properly.

Embed this video:

Email This Favorite Download

Audio

Audio to desktop (MP3): This link downloads an audio file directly to your computer. Right-click (or option-click on a Mac) to ensure download.
Audio to iTunes (MP3): This link launches iTunes on your computer, and adds an audio file into your iTunes library.

Video

Download video to desktop (MP4): This link downloads a video file directly to your computer or iPhone. Right-click (or option-click on a Mac) to ensure download.
Download video to iTunes (MP4): This link launches iTunes on your computer, and adds a video file into your iTunes library.
Watch high-res video (MP4): This link lets you watch a higher-quality version of this video. Right-click (or option-click on a Mac) to ensure download.

Discuss this Talk

Sort By:

Loading Comments...

Add a Comment

This comment will be attributed to name. Not name?

Open interactive transcript »

About this talk

Bonnie Bassler discovered that bacteria "talk" to each other, using a chemical language that lets them coordinate defense and mount attacks. The find has stunning implications for medicine, industry -- and our understanding of ourselves.

About Bonnie Bassler

Bonnie Bassler studies how bacteria can communicate with one another, through chemical signals, to act as a unit. Her work could pave the way for new, more potent medicine. Full bio and more links