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The article states that research shows bacterium have a sophisticated enough biological design to anticipate and prime themselves for occurrences that are preceded by some type of cue. To exhibit this, the author presents studies conducted by Princeton University graduate student Ilias Tagkopoulos, his advisor Saeed Tavazoie and Yir-Chung Liu on the respiratory actions of E. coli. When E. coli prepared to move from the mouth to the intestines of a host organism, it disengaged genes regulating aerobic respiration while activating genes regulating anaerobic respiration to accompany low oxygen levels. Also discussed is how E. coli developed appropriate responses to situations that likely would not occur in a natural setting.