The system might someday be applied to prosthetics to mimic human skin’s ability to feel sensation.

Researchers have discovered a bacterium that can live and grow off arsenic, a new study reports. The findings point for the first time to a microorganism that is able to use a toxic chemical (rather than the usual phosphate) to sustain growth and life.

The study is being published online 2 December at the ScienceExpress Web site.