microbe

Their experiments showed that a short blast of ultraviolet light killed the microbes and banished the stink.

The microbe used by Stephen Wallace, professor of chemical biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh, was Escherichia coli, better known as E. coli.

Scientists believe these features contain minerals produced by chemical reactions that could be associated with ancient Martian microbes.

Some nasties, including dioxins, can be broken down by fungi and microbes.

More than a million people a year are already dying from infections caused by microbes that are resistant to treatment – it's known as the "silent pandemic".