Cyclospora, the parasite that’s been wreaking havoc in people’s digestive systems over the past month, starts with a single cell. The parasite passes through human intestines to reproduce. Their complex biology contributes to why it’s so hard to kick, leading to infections that can last for weeks or months. Transcript SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST: Over the
the idea that Cancer could behave like a contagious disease may seem absurd; In humans, cancer cannot be transmitted from one person to another. However, nature is still full of surprises. In rare cases, the cancer cells themselves can pass from one individual to another and continue to multiply in a new host. This rare
Mushroom hunting is cool and fun, but you know what’s not cool and fun? Make slugs or other mushroom hunters discover your secret place. Or, worst of all, accidentally picking the wrong type of mushroom that could make you very sick or worse. Ideally, you should be able to grow your favorite type of mushroom
Pythons have several unusual traits that scientists are studying for possible clues to treating human diseases. Ari Daniel for NPR hide title toggle title Ari Daniel for NPR For new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines, Follow NPR’s Short Wave podcast. When Skip Maas first adopted Agrapina, a spotted ball python, she
Beneath the Earth On the surface there is an extraordinary underground network of fungi of almost unimaginable scale. An international team of researchers has produced, for the first time, a global map of this vast network of mycorrhizae, the system of fungal filaments that form mutually beneficial associations with plants around the planet. They estimate