Anne Madden
Joined Atlas Obscura in 2026
I'm an award-winning microbiologist, science communicator, National Geographic Explorer, and 'Microbe Wrangler.' I explore the microbes around us--in insect nests, soils, jungle plants, and even house dust. But more than just explore these unknown creatures, I put them to work. I believe the microbes around us are a source of microbial solutions to human (and planetary) problems. In my research I have named a new fungal species to science, discovered novel antibiotics from bacteria in backyard soil, and found a yeast inside a wasp that led to patented brewing technology--ultimately changing how brewers could make delicious new sour beers. As founder of the distributed research institute, The Microbe Institute, we are the NASA for the microbial cosmos. Our mission is to democratize microbial discovery for a better tomorrow. Our vision is a world where everyone can explore the microbes around them, discover microbial technology to improve our planet's health, and find inspiration in the microbial realm.
