Scientists have discovered that hundreds of bacterial species are capable of producing electricity and could very well be co-opted to create “living batteries.”

While researchers have known that bacteria found in exotic environments like the ocean floor are electrogenic, a new study published in the journal Nature marks the first time scientists have uncovered bacteria interacting with humans are also electrogenic.

These bacteria range from the sort that cause diarrhea to the ones that ferment yogurt. Many fill the human gut, and understanding how these bacteria develop electricity-producing capabilities may reveal how they infect humans — or why they keep us healthy.

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