Earlier this year, scientists shocked the world by engineering a common bacterium, E. coli, to convert waste plastic into paracetamol, an everyday painkiller. While E. coli is often known as a gut bug, non-pathogenic strains are widely used in labs for biotechnology experiments due to their fast growth and ease of manipulation.

Professor Stephen Wallace from the University of Edinburgh has already used E. coli to create vanilla flavor and even perfume from unusual waste materials like fatbergs from sewers. The bacterium’s adaptability and reliability make it a “workhorse” for producing pharmaceuticals, such as insulin, and other industrial chemicals.

E. coli’s history is fascinating. Isolated in 1885, it became the first genetically engineered organism in the 1970s, helping produce synthetic human insulin—a breakthrough for diabetes care. Its entire genome was sequenced in 1997, paving the way for precise bioengineering.

However, some scientists warn that focusing too much on E. coli could overlook other microbes that might naturally perform similar or even better functions. Alternatives like Vibrio natriegens are now being explored, with faster growth rates and superior DNA uptake abilities.

From producing medicine to tackling sustainability challenges, microbes are becoming the hidden heroes of science—showing that even the smallest organisms can create the biggest impact.