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Health & Science5h 15m ago

A recent study found that after feeding specific bacteria to a certain unicellular relative of animals, the single cells began to stick to one another, revealing a possible mode by which our ancestors began to evolve into animals billions of years ago.

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Indiana University Bloomington, Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain, Uppsala University in Sweden

Who
Ruibao Li, Jennah Dharamshi, J. P. Gerdt, Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo, Indiana University Bloomington, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University
What
A recent study found that after feeding specific bacteria to a certain unicellular relative of animals, the single cells began to stick to one another, revealing a possible mode by which our ancestors began to evolve into animals billions of years ago.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:01:00 GMT · 5h 15m ago
Where
Indiana University Bloomington, Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain, Uppsala University in Sweden ·
Why
Researchers aimed to understand how cells began to stick together and why they did so, which has long been a mystery to scientists.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This research provides insights into the early evolutionary steps that led to multicellular life forms, offering a better understanding of how animals, including humans, evolved from single-celled organisms. It also highlights the potential for studying simpler organisms to uncover genetic insights relevant to developmental processes or diseases.

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