Utilizing terabase-scale long-read sequencing, researchers have accessed previously uncultured soil bacterial genomes to uncover hundreds of new microbial species and identify novel bioactive molecules with antibiotic potential. This innovative approach circumvents traditional culture-based limitations, significantly expanding the reservoir of natural products available for drug development. The study, conducted at Rockefeller University, opens a scalable path to combating antibiotic resistance by harnessing soil microbiome biodiversity.