More pinky purple sulfur bacteria, this time they are forming a natural biofilm on fallen leaves in an estuary near my parents’ house in Maine. #vdaymicrobe #valentinesday #pink #ValentinesDay2019 #scicomm

On this valentines day, i hope you feel as supported, treasured, and safe as a single microbe cell that gets to grow in the rare competition-free space of a petri plate. #valentinesday #vdaymicrobe

This is a species of actinobacteria from wasps that is making an unknown diffusible pigment. Many of these bacteria produce pigments and antibiotics naturally. The antibiotics include many we use commercially. #vdaymicrobe #pink #scicomm #valentinesday2019

Purple is a shade of pink, right? These are purple sulfur bacteria that were living on salt mats in the bahamas. These bacteria—which felt gelatinous to touch—can photosynthesize with the help of sulfur. #pink #vdaymicrobe #valentinesday #valentinesday2019 #scicomm

Look at this beautiful Fusarium (fungus) I got to work with! This is a film still from a science documentary I was on. The microbe stole the show. #vdaymicrobe #pink #ValentinesDay #ValentinesDay2019 image:Smith&Nasht earrings by: @KristinaSkillin

Be still my heart... but not too still, thanks to statins (cholesterol drugs) made by this #vdaymicrobe the pink Aspergillus terreus (or maybe Epicoccum?) that I grew off of a swab from dust on the bottom of my high heel. #pink #ValentinesDay #ValentinesDay2019 #l#pinkmicrobes

New valentine: “I tolerate you like this white microbe tolerates this pink yeast.” <3 romance. #vdaymicrobe #ValentinesDay2019 #sciencevalentine

What a fantastic #vdaymicrobe prepared from plant-associated microbes by the scientists at @Indigoag. These microbes form mutualisms w/plants, so maybe this is a #valentinesday pic to remind you of how powerful relationships can be. Aww!! #pink #ValentinesDay2019 #Valentinesday

What I love about #agarart is that it asks you to question assumptions. In this case that microbes are ‘gross.’ If we question what is beauty, we can also start to question what is possible &*that*is where we find hope. Here are plant microbes by @Indigoag scientists #vdaymicrobe

Here’s a #vdaymicrobe that is a natural pink yeast that is in some sourdoughs. It doesn’t make the sourdoughs pink (sadly), but can make the bread tasty! Photo courtesy of @LupoLabs and http://microbialfood.org #ValentinesDay2019 #pink #pinkmicrobe

A natural, pink microbe found in bathrooms: Methylobacteria are resistent to toxins and can also be found outside where they are associated w/plants. There they can help plants grow while feeding on methanol produced by the plants. #vdaymicrobe #valentinesday2019 #pink #scicomm

A yummy pink microbe for #vdaymicrobe. This is a pink oyster mushroom, Pleurotus djamor (I believe), that I made into a lovely cream sauce. Individual fungi work together to form these giant forms we refer to as ‘mushrooms.’ Pethaps the more accurate name may be “microbial herd”

Another pink microbe for #vdaymicrobe celebrations. This pink yeast is Metchnikowia pulcherrima. This yeast came from wasps and is often associated with fermenting wines. There it naturally prevents spoilage microbes from ruining wine. #ValentinesDay2019 #scicomm #wine #vday

In honor of Valentines week I’m going to post my favorite pink microbes! This is Rhodotorula. This yeast is in wasps &can’t make beer, but it makes natural pink pigments that protect it from the sun. Yes, it basically makes pink sunscreen #ValentinesDay2019 #scicomm #vdaymicrobe