A team of environmental and public health scientists is raising concerns about a largely overlooked group of microscopic organisms that may pose a growing danger worldwide: free living amoebae. In a recent perspective article published in Biocontaminant , researchers explain that these tiny life forms are becoming an emerging global health risk. Their spread is being driven by rising temperatures, aging water infrastructure, and limited systems for detecting and tracking them. Although most people have never heard of free living amoebae, scientists say they deserve far more attention. What Are Free Living Amoebae Amoebae are single celled organisms that live naturally in soil, freshwater, and even some man made water systems. They move and feed by extending parts of their cell body, a process that gives them their distinctive shape. Most amoebae are harmless and play a role in natural ecosystems. However, a small number of species can infect humans and cause severe illness.…