Brain tissue from dementia patient (left) with glints of plastic (right). (Nihart, Nature Medicine, 2025)A recent study reveals that postmortem brain samples collected last year contain significantly more microplastics than those analyzed nearly a decade ago, suggesting these synthetic particles accumulate in vital organs over time.Researchers led by University of New Mexico health scientist Alexander...
Credit: PixabayThe bacteria in your mouth affect more than just your teeth and gums—they may also play a role in brain function. A study of 55 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) found that those with higher levels of Neisseria bacteria performed better on tests of working memory, executive function, and visual attention. Even...
Credit: PixabayResearchers at the University of Basel have uncovered how bacteria sense environmental threats using a universal danger signal. When nearby cells are dying, bacteria detect fragments of their cell walls, called peptidoglycans, and proactively form protective biofilms. This discovery sheds light on bacterial communication and defense mechanisms, offering insights for combating infections.Sensing Danger:...
One of the specimens of Saccus xixiangensis, no more than 1 millimeter in diameter. (Liu et al., Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 2025)Tiny mineralized spheres are offering fresh insights into the history of life on Earth. These millimeter-sized fossils, over 535 million years old, are the fossilized embryos of early Cambrian animals.Belonging to the Ecdysozoa group—which includes insects,...
Schistosoma mansoni egg recovered from the medieval latrine in Bruges. Black bar represents 20 µm. Credit: Marissa Ledger, McMaster UniversityThe discovery of a 500-year-old African parasite in a Bruges latrine offers new insights into how medieval trade networks facilitated the spread of infectious diseases. Linked to Spanish merchants and global commerce, this finding sheds...
"With the Darwin MX Pro, fans of everything tiny can unlock the secrets of the micro world"BeaverLab TechCompetitions like Nikon Small World reveal how much of the microscopic world remains unseen to the naked eye. Fortunately, affordable desktop microscopes, like BeaverLab’s Darwin MX Pro, now offer a window into these hidden realms for everyday...
Credit: PixabayKristian Riesbeck, a professor of clinical bacteriology at Lund University, was approached by Ukrainian microbiologist Oleksandr Nazarchuk for help in assessing antibiotic resistance in bacteria from severely injured, infected war patients. Using samples from 141 individuals, including 133 adults and 8 newborns with pneumonia, the study revealed widespread resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Alarmingly,...
Cordyceps fungus infecting a longhorn beetle grub. (Ian Redding/Getty Images)Zombies tap into our fears, and once they get in our heads, they stay there. Animals overtaken by "zombies" lose control over their bodies and actions, instead serving the needs of a virus, fungus, or other parasite.The word "zombi" originates from Vodou, a religion that developed...
Green dye highlighting the DNA of microbes in a sample. (Suzuki et al., Microbial Ecology, 2024)Deep underground, a community of microbes has thrived in isolation for billions of years. These organisms, found in 2 billion-year-old rock, have been cut off far longer than any known subterranean microbes, surpassing the previous record of 100 million years.Geomicrobiologist...
Washing the rice. Credit: Teste Cooking.Rice is a staple food for billions of people in Asia and Africa. It's also a versatile ingredient for many iconic dishes worldwide, including Greece's dolmades, Italy's risottos, Spain's paella, and the UK's rice puddings. In this publication, we'll unravel the scientific dilemma of whether or not to wash...
