Characterizing the Bacterium

She shrugs it off. "Sure," she says. "I'm fine. Now what were we talking about?"

"Tests," you say. "On the bacterium."

"Right," she says. She lists them off: "Gram stain, for one. Is it Gram-positive or Gram-negative? Really basic way to characterize a bacterium."

"Wait," you say. Grabbing Zack's clipboard, you start writing everything down. "Got it. Now go on."

"Shape identification," she continues. "Once the bacterium's stained, look at it under a microscope. Is it shaped like a rod, round like a coccus, curved like a vibrio or what?" She pauses. "Only one problem."

"Oh?" you say. "What's that?"

"All the equipment's in there," she says, jerking her thumb towards the door to the main room. "With the blood-crazed madman."

Continue with the mystery

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.