This Week in Microbiology

This Week in Microbiology — TWiM — is another pillar of Vincent Racaniello's MicrobeTV network, and it focuses squarely on the invisible life forms that run the planet. The regular panel includes Racaniello alongside microbiologists Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin, all of whom are active researchers at major universities. Each episode follows a familiar rhythm: the hosts each bring a recent research paper to discuss, and the group works through the findings together. You might hear about a newly discovered mechanism of antibiotic resistance in one segment, then a fascinating study on soil microbiomes in the next. The conversations are informal and genuine — hosts interrupt each other, crack jokes, and occasionally disagree about interpretations. It feels less like a lecture and more like sitting in on a journal club with people who clearly enjoy talking about microbes. With 350 episodes released roughly every two weeks, TWiM has built up a substantial archive. Episodes run 45 minutes to just over an hour, hitting a comfortable middle ground — detailed enough to learn something real, short enough to finish in one sitting. The show holds a 4.8 star average from 520 Apple ratings. It's particularly strong for anyone interested in bacteriology, microbial ecology, or antimicrobial research. The hosts make a genuine effort to explain context for non-specialists while still keeping the scientific rigor that makes the discussions worth having.