DARPA Seeks Natural Bacteria to Replace Harmful Biofilms That Corrode Military Equipment
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Bacteria biofilms cause damage to objects like steel and fuel tanks, costing the U.S. military billions.
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DARPA's Arcadia program aims to replace harmful biofilms with helpful ones.
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Goal is to find natural bacteria that protect against corrosion, not engineer new organisms.
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Researchers screening many candidates using microfluidics and genetic sequencing.
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Hope is a spray-on mix to apply helpful biofilms where needed.