🥬 A Kimchi Bacterium May Help Remove Nanoplastics from the Gut Researchers have found that a bacterium commonly associated with kimchi may help the body remove tiny plastic particles from the digestive system. The bacterium, Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656, was able to bind to polystyrene nanoplastics under conditions designed to resemble the human gut. Nanoplastics are extremely small plastic particles that can enter the body through food, water and other sources. Researchers then tested the bacterium in mice. The animals given the probiotic had more than twice the amount of nanoplastics detected in their feces compared with the control group. This suggests that the bacterium may attach to nanoplastics in the digestive tract and help move them out of the body through feces. The finding is interesting because it points to a possible role for certain beneficial bacteria in reducing the amount of nanoplastic that remains inside the digestive tract. However, the results are still preliminary. The study was conducted in laboratory conditions and mice, so researchers need human studies to determine whether the same effect occurs in people and whether it provides any health benefit. For now, the research provides another example of how gut microbes may interact with substances that enter our digestive system. Source: National Research Council of Science & Technology

Merengue music came into the mainstream in the late 90s and @ElvisCrespo is still referred to as the “King of Merengue.” His track "Suavemente" became one of the most iconic and recognizable merengue songs in music history.

Meena and Minal were left as infants at orphanages in India and grew up in different adoptive families in the Netherlands, just a short drive apart. Now, 40 years later, a DNA test has shown that the childhood friends are biological sisters.

Mementos are the resource used to evolve stronger Axie parts. New Mementos are generated when an axie is released. Every battle, every level, and every breed contributes to a progression loop where stronger axies help create the next generation.