Dr. M. H. Gordon conducted a unique experiment in the U.K. Parliament with Serratia marcescens to study microbial dispersion in political settings. Surprising results showed that speech, not boots, could spread the bacterium up to 70 feet away. Serratia marcescens’ red color has led to various experiments throughout history, including investigations by Nazi Germany and the U.S. Military into biological warfare. While the bacterium poses health risks, its pigment, prodigiosin, has potential antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Serratia marcescens remains a subject of intense biomedical research, highlighting its significant impact culturally, clinically, and scientifically despite its intriguing and controversial history.
https://www.asimov.press/p/miracle-bacterium