dentist

  Image of rat teeth from Scienceline (credit: The International Rice Research Institute, flickr.com) What does tooth decay have to do with rats? For Neandertals, tooth decay was a rare occurance. Research suggests that tooth decay became more prominent with the development of agriculture. Dr. Ordaz, Stanford School of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed common strains of bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) responsible for causing cavities. They found that the bacteria began expanding exponentially around 10,000 years ago, similar to the dawn of agriculture. The authors suggest that as humans…
Dentistry under the sea looks a lot less painful but potentially much more dangerous for the hygienist. Moray and cleaner shrimp. Photo credit to Erwin Kodiat Sand Diver and Pedersen's cleaner shrimp. Photo credit to Reef Reflections Fun fact: adorable cleaner shrimp are notable for crawling down people's throats and laying eggs in their chest! Photo credit to Michael Haas.