A Canadian man found a rat in his toilet, and his month only got worse from there. In a recent case report, the man’s doctors described how he contracted an unusual and severe infection from being bitten by the rodent—one that ultimately sent him to the intensive care unit. Thankfully, he was successfully treated. Making … Read more
Our mouths and guts are teeming with mysterious somethings that are unknown to science, new research suggests. A team says they’ve discovered distinct virus-like structures hanging out among the bacteria that live in our bodies. The researchers have coined these structures “obelisks,” and they might further redefine what it means to be a living thing. … Read more
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. Gizmodo’s Top Five Gadgets of 2023 A 16-month-old boy was playing in a splash pad at a country club in Little Rock, Arkansas, this summer when water containing a very rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba went up his nose. He died … Read more
The UK is currently dealing with an alarming rise of crypto—the diarrhea-causing intestinal parasite, not the baffling currency. In a report this month, health officials documented a much higher number of cases than expected so far in 2023. It’s not clear yet why crypto is surging in the country, though the increase may be tied … Read more
The anti-vaccination movement is going to the dogs. Recent survey data has suggested that a substantial proportion of American dog owners have doubts about their pets’ vaccines, including the rabies shot. Rabies is almost always fatal if not treated promptly, and routine canine vaccination has helped make pet and human cases of the viral disease … Read more
As if life isn’t hard enough already: rabid otters are apparently a thing. Florida health officials reported this week that a 74-year-old man and a dog were bitten by an aggressive otter, one that later tested positive for the usually fatal viral infection. Both victims have reportedly received treatment and the otter has been euthanized. Meet … Read more