by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
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The importance of microbes<\/strong> in maintaining soil balance is widely known<\/a>. Microorganisms, in fact, contribute to the protection of soil fertility and regulation of the carbon<\/strong> cycle in addition to shaping several other aspects that characterize the ecosystem as a whole. A list of essential functions, in short, which, according to some researchers, also include an additional and surprising ability: the protection of buildings during earthquakes.<\/p>\n The hypothesis is advanced by a group of scientists from the University of California Davis<\/strong> and the University of Arizona<\/strong>. Microbes, explains a study<\/a> conducted by the two universities, are able to counteract soil instability. Exploiting this property, the researchers say, allow for new methods of securing that are significantly less damaging than traditional methods.<\/p>\n