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GUT BACTERIA
There's a reason that experts have recently suggested that we
all start referring to ourselves using the royal "we".In recent
years, research has found that the microbes that live inside of
us, especially our intestines (our microbiome), are symbiotic -
and they have far more of an effect on our lives than we
realised.They have been implicated in such illnesses as multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, cancer and chronic fatigue
syndrome, which means they may be pretty danged important.
But they also seem to play a role in regulating other things, too
- such as our appetites, and even our moods.
INTERSTITIUM
Turns out we may have an organ wrapped around our other
organs, and it's been hiding in plain sight for all this time.
The newly classified organ is called the interstitium, and
previously scientists had just thought it was relatively
unremarkable, relatively solid tissue to fill the space between
our organs.It's actually filled with fluid, supported by a collagen
lattice, and it helps protect our organs from external shocks as
we move around, much like air cushions in running shoes.
THE PINK BIT IN THE EYE
If you look in the mirror, you'll see a little pink bit of conjunctival tissue in the corner of your eye. This is called the plica semilunaris,
and these days its primary function is to help with tear drainage and eyeball mobility.But once upon a time it was a nictitating
membrane - what we call a third eyelid, a translucent eyelid that can be drawn over the eye to keep it moist and protected while
maintaining a measure of vision.If you have a cat or a dog, you may have seen their third eyelid while they're sleeping. Humans and
most other primates don't need this feature any more, so it evolved away a long time ago - but we still have that vestigial lump of
tissue.Last year, doctors reported the second known case of a nictitating membrane in a human. A nine-year-old girl had a persistent
membrane across her left eye that could not be retracted. It was surgically excised, and her eye underneath was fine.
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