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13 stories from Planck Standard. Latest: October 9, 2026.
Stanford researchers say the Hadza and Tsimane microbes were likely inherited from common ancestors in Africa and carried across the Bering land bridge, while outside experts caution the health implications are unproven.
Researchers who once threw out microbial DNA as contamination went back to it and rebuilt 70 bacterial genomes from Caribbean hamlet fish, most of them new to science. The most common ones carry every gene needed for chemosynthesis, which had never been documented in a fish.
Researchers separated the microbes that lived in the mummy's body from those that arrived later and found cold-loving organisms related to Antarctic strains, some apparently feeding on the chemical used to clean him.
In rats, a fiber-rich diet kept a beneficial tapeworm healthy and anti-inflammatory; strip the fiber away and the worm slipped into a hibernation-like state, wiping out its benefits.
Japanese researchers screening microbes from tree frogs, newts and lizards found one strain that erased colorectal tumors entirely — outperforming standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy in the lab.
Researchers report that epigenetic marks present at birth steer how a baby's gut microbiome develops in the first year — and that certain patterns were linked to early signs of autism and ADHD by age three.
A Nature paper drawn from the Tara Pacific Expedition catalogs the largest unexplored chemical reservoir in the marine environment — and identifies a new bacterial peptide that inhibits human neutrophil elastase.
Breakthrough research reveals how Morganella morganii bacteria interacts with environmental pollutants to produce inflammation-causing molecules strongly linked to major depressive disorder.
Scientists develop breakthrough treatment that blocks harmful microbes while preserving healthy oral microbiome, potentially revolutionizing periodontal care.
Breakthrough research reveals harmful bacterial sugars spark immune responses that damage brain cells, offering new treatment targets for devastating neurological diseases.
Case Western Reserve scientists discovered that harmful glycogen sugars produced by gut bacteria activate immune responses that damage the brain, pointing toward gut-targeted treatments for two devastating diseases.
Researchers at the University of Geneva used machine learning to analyze bacterial subspecies in stool, approaching colonoscopy 94% detection rate with a simple non-invasive test.
Researchers identify gene SLC35F2 as gateway for queuosine absorption, opening new possibilities for memory and cancer treatments.