Just for fun: Scale of Universe

Click here for an interactive scale of the universe tool. So much fun!

Just for fun: World's first cell race

In a tongue-in-cheek contest of microscopic mobility, a line of bone marrow stem cells from Singapore beat out dozens of competitors to claim the title of the world’s fastest crawling cells. They whizzed across a petri dish at the breakneck speed of 5.2 microns per minute — or 0.000000312 kilometers per hour.

Western diet linked to increased intestinal disease

Picture from CIENCIASMEDICASNEWS

Westerners have been shown to be more susceptible to allergies, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease than residents of agrarian societies (one that is based on agriculture as its prime means for support and sustenance). A recent study suggests that people living in rural Africa have a healthier mix of microbes in their gut compared to their Western counterparts, which may protect them from the intestinal diseases that are common in modern developed countries.

The human gut is home to trillions of microbes (our microbiota) that help us digest and metabolize what we eat, protect us against diseases, and train our immune system to recognize and reject pathogens. As our diets change, so do our gut inhabitants -- from microbes that could easily break down fibrous foods that were plentiful in early human diets, to other bugs that can break down animal proteins, sugars, and starches that are prevalent in diets of Western civilization today. In addition, modern sanitation and medicines have further changed the types of bacteria that people encounter. Recent studies have suggested that people in developed countries are more susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases and obesity due to the different types of bacteria found in their digestive systems.

Read more about this research here.