Collaborations Between Microbes and Those Who Love Them

Quorum sensing is the chemical language that enables bacteria to collaborate, share resources, and perform tasks, that individual bacteria cannot accomplish alone. Similarly, we can achieve greater things when we work as a group. Bonnie L. Bassler, recipient of this year's Wolf prize, ends her talks acknowledging her team, stating, “the group accomplishes more than the individual”. Inspired by her research subjects, she orchestrates her research via communication and exchange of ideas, often over shared public goods in the form of caffeine and sugary nutrients. Here, I highlight select insights into how vital collaborations between microbes may serve to enlighten and inspire us to work better together.