New research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem challenges the long-held assumption that bacteria survive antibiotics solely by entering a dormant state. The study, published in Science Advances, reveals that antibiotic persistence, a cause of treatment failure, arises from two distinct physiological states: a regulated growth arrest and a disrupted, dysregulated growth arrest. This discovery offers a more nuanced understanding of bacterial survival and may pave the way for more effective antibiotic treatments and prevention of recurring infections.