Jessica Young

All that on this episode of Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. OK, Ari, where do you want to start?

Which is why scientists have given it this funny nickname, Conan the Bacterium, a resilient superhero of the microbial world.

Which is why scientists have given it this funny nickname, Conan the Bacterium, a resilient superhero of the microbial world.

Which is why scientists have given it this funny nickname, Conan the Bacterium, a resilient superhero of the microbial world.

True. Email us, kids. Let us know.

True. Email us, kids. Let us know.

True. Email us, kids. Let us know.

This is Michael Daly, a professor of pathology at the Uniformed Services University, who has studied the Conan bacteria for decades.

This is Michael Daly, a professor of pathology at the Uniformed Services University, who has studied the Conan bacteria for decades.

This is Michael Daly, a professor of pathology at the Uniformed Services University, who has studied the Conan bacteria for decades.

Yeah, look, when combined, these three, phosphate, manganese, and peptides, offer astounding radiation protection. The details about this appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Michael says this breakthrough means big things for the future.

Yeah, look, when combined, these three, phosphate, manganese, and peptides, offer astounding radiation protection. The details about this appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Michael says this breakthrough means big things for the future.

Yeah, look, when combined, these three, phosphate, manganese, and peptides, offer astounding radiation protection. The details about this appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Michael says this breakthrough means big things for the future.

Yes, we have a very lonely society, and there are a lot of studies out there showing this, including the National Poll on Healthy Aging from the University of Michigan. Now, for six years, the poll gathered household data from older Americans ages 50 to 80 about how lonely they are, loneliness being defined as feeling a lack of companionship.

Yes, we have a very lonely society, and there are a lot of studies out there showing this, including the National Poll on Healthy Aging from the University of Michigan. Now, for six years, the poll gathered household data from older Americans ages 50 to 80 about how lonely they are, loneliness being defined as feeling a lack of companionship.

Yes, we have a very lonely society, and there are a lot of studies out there showing this, including the National Poll on Healthy Aging from the University of Michigan. Now, for six years, the poll gathered household data from older Americans ages 50 to 80 about how lonely they are, loneliness being defined as feeling a lack of companionship.

Yeah. Yeah. One third of older adults. It's a lot. And an outside researcher thinks this could be an undercount. Geriatrician Thomas Cujo at Johns Hopkins University is especially worried about older adults who are, say, homebound or cognitively impaired and may not take part in a poll like this.

Yeah. Yeah. One third of older adults. It's a lot. And an outside researcher thinks this could be an undercount. Geriatrician Thomas Cujo at Johns Hopkins University is especially worried about older adults who are, say, homebound or cognitively impaired and may not take part in a poll like this.

Yeah. Yeah. One third of older adults. It's a lot. And an outside researcher thinks this could be an undercount. Geriatrician Thomas Cujo at Johns Hopkins University is especially worried about older adults who are, say, homebound or cognitively impaired and may not take part in a poll like this.

Yeah, lead author Preeti Malani wants everyone to think of loneliness as a health problem, like cancer or heart disease, as something that can be treated and prevented. We can actively cultivate human connection.