search
human cells
Trends
- 140-year gut virus mystery solved: it infects bacteria, not humans▼40-year mystery solved: Common gut virus infects bacteria, not human cells
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine report they have resolved a decades-old question about a common virus found in the human gut: rather than infecting human cells, it targets bacteria living in the digestive system. The finding, ending a 40-year mystery, could reshape understanding of how gut viruses influence human health through their effects on the microbiome.
- 2Microgravity simulator reveals how gravity shapes the human genome▼A microgravity simulator shows exactly how gravity alters the human genome and alters cellular biology
Researchers using a microgravity simulator have demonstrated how gravity influences the human genome and cellular biology, offering a clearer picture of what happens to human cells when exposed to reduced gravity. The findings could inform astronaut health research and the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the body.
- 3Mitochondria were once free-living bacteria, post reminds readers●Mitochondria are former free-living aerobic bacteria engulfed by early eukaryotes two billion years ago. They still reta
A biology reminder is circulating online: mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in human cells, were once free-living aerobic bacteria engulfed by early eukaryotic cells around two billion years ago. The post notes that mitochondria still carry their own circular DNA, a leftover of their bacterial origins, and suggests caring for these 'cellular powerplants' through sunlight exposure, temperature variation and nutrient-dense food.
- 4Scientists capture ribosome assembly in human cells in 3D●29-Oct-2026 Watching # ribosomes in the making all at once Scientists used 3D images of the human # nucleolus to visuali
Researchers have produced 3D images of the human nucleolus that let them visualise ribosome assembly pathways inside cells for the first time. Ribosomes, the molecular machines that build proteins, form in the nucleolus, and seeing the process 'all at once' offers a new window into a fundamental part of cell biology, with potential relevance to understanding diseases linked to ribosome production.
- 5How Deep-Sea Creatures Survive Crushing Ocean Pressure●How Do Sea Creatures Survive the Intense Pressure of Living Deep in the Water? And More Questions From Our Readers https
Smithsonian Magazine answers a reader question about how sea creatures survive the crushing pressure of the deep ocean. At depth, animals manage pressure through adaptations such as soft, flexible bodies, lack of air-filled spaces like swim bladders, and special cell membrane chemistry, which lets them live where pressure would kill humans. The piece is part of a regular series answering questions submitted by readers.