Probing nanomotion of single bacteria with graphene drums.

Motion is a key characteristic of every form of life. Even at the microscale, it has been reported that colonies of bacteria can generate nanomotion on mechanical cantilevers, but the origin of these nanoscale vibrations has remained unresolved. Here, we present a new technique using drums made of ultrathin bilayer graphene, where the nanomotion of single bacteria can be measured in its aqueous growth environment.