Industrious communities can create cheaters, even in bacteria

These colorful patterns are proof that bacteria and humans aren’t all that different — both harbor individuals that will take the easy way out when given the chance. And that lifestyle can quickly spread to the detriment of all. The bacteria shown here, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lost their ability to grow into large colonies when cultured on growth plates over multiple generations. This was because when grown on relatively large flat surfaces, opportunities arose for some of the cells to simply le Credit: Lingchong You, Duke University