The fact that ground squirrels burn almost no energy when they hibernate – with no loss of muscle mass – has implications for the many millions of people globally who experience muscle wasting as a consequence of various conditions. A decrease in muscle mass can be caused by undernourishment, for instance, which affects almost 830 […]

A huge number of microbes live in and on us. They’re in our lungs, mouths and intestines, and on our skin. Scientists know they help us digest, breaking down what we eat, but they are discovering that each individual’s microbiome, the collection of microbes in their body, helps protect them. For example, bacteria in the […]