- A new pre-print on experimental microbial evolution argues that the standard 24-hour serial-passage protocol with severe bottlenecks is sub-optimal; instead, “frequent, infinitesimal bottlenecks” (approaching continuous culture) maximize the rate of adaptive evolution by minimizing the chance that beneficial mutations are lost during transfers.  
- The work resolves the classic dilemma between allowing enough generations for beneficial mutants to arise and avoiding overly harsh dilutions that erase them, showing mathematically and experimentally that shorter intervals with smaller dilutions outperform traditional lab practice.  
- The finding has direct implications for open-source and DIY evolution experiments: continuous-culture devices (e.g., turbidostats or microfluidic chemostats) could become the preferred tool for accelerating directed evolution of microbes, enzymes, or biosynthetic pathways.  
- Researchers and biohackers in the channel highlighted that low-cost, Arduino-controlled turbidostats or 3-D printed microfluidic chips could implement these “infinitesimal bottleneck” regimes without expensive commercial equipment.  
- The paper (bioRxiv 2023.08.10.552848v1) was shared as a link, providing detailed methods, code, and raw data for replication, aligning with the channel’s emphasis on open science and reproducible bio-experimentation.