A vast array of species, including people, use slime for a variety of essential bodily functions. Studying the genetic ancestry of slime surprisingly showcases the role of repetitive DNA in evolution.
Researchers pour a barrel of hagfish into a holding tank aboard a research vessel about 20 miles off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
AP/Steven Senne
As antibiotic resistance increases globally, the heat is on to find new alternatives to treat infections. Chemists can get a head start by looking at compounds produced in nature by fishes’ microbes.