A team of Russian, Czech and German researchers has gained a new perspective on the properties of three materials of biological origin. Besides two reference materials with well-studied properties—serum albumin and cytochrome C—the researchers looked at the extracellular matrix of the Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 bacterium, which is used in biofuel cells. The team measured the materials’ dynamic conductivity and dielectric permittivity in a wide range of frequencies and temperatures. To interpret their findings, the researchers used theoretical approaches and concepts from condensed matter physics. The paper detailing the study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.