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ICTP - Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics
17 September 2025

How Bacteria Predict the Future

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ICTP Research Scientist Jacopo Grilli studies how populations of microorganisms recognize patterns to prepare for environmental changes

Every day, we rely on our ability to remember patterns and associations to help us prepare for future events. We might expect rain on a cloudy day, and choose to take the bus rather than bike. Although learning and adaptation are typically associated with complex organisms, research has shown that even the simplest life forms—like bacteria—demonstrate a striking capacity to anticipate future changes. So how do they do that? This is what ICTP research scientist Jacopo Grilli and his collaborators at Yale University and at the Tokyo Institute of Technology set out to investigate, thanks to a new grant from the Human Frontier Science Program.