Bacteria use collisions to navigate crowded environments
Researchers at EPFL discovered that Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria sense physical collisions and reverse direction within seconds, allowing them to avoid becoming trapped in dense groups. Wild‑type bacteria use this mechanosensing to maintain mobility in crowded areas while aligning at colony edges, enabling efficient exploration of maze‑like environments. The study, published in Nature Microbiology, demonstrates active regulation of collective behavior through physical feedback rather than chemical signals.
Researchers at EPFL discovered that Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria sense physical collisions and reverse direction within seconds, allowing them to avoid becoming trapped in dense groups. Wild‑type bacteria use this mechanosensing to maintain mobility in crowded areas while aligning at colony edges, enabling efficient exploration of maze‑like environments. The study, published in Nature Microbiology, demonstrates active regulation of collective behavior through physical feedback rather than chemical signals.
The finding offers a biological model of mechanosensing that could inform Swiss AI research on swarm robotics and collective decision‑making.
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