Biological dissent

Traditionally, heretical ideas tended to occur in the religious arena. For centuries, Catholicism fended off notionsthat challenged its tightly held dogmas, and these included its arch-nemesis, Gnosticism. However, heresies do not just occur in the field of religion. In science too, consensus has a tendency to harden into dogma that is hard to challenge, despite the fact that science is a work in progress, and some previous assumptions continue to be overturned.

In the field of microbiology, it is widely accepted under the principle of “monomorphism” that microorganisms are stable and do not change shape, except in rare instances. This contrasts strongly with another “pleomorphic” school that holds the opposite view, namely that microorganisms frequently undergo dramatic changes, with far-reaching ramifications.

During the glory days of pleomorphism in the early 20th century, numerous researchers were uncovering similar strange phenomena, sometimes unaware of one another’s work. Rivalry between the two schools continued until around 1940, when monomorphism won out and became the dominant paradigm.

The story of pleomorphism really begins with a now-forgotten French researcher working a century and a half ago.