Emma Gometz

It sounds like something from an advertisement for bathroom cleaner: Researchers found over 600 different viruses, most of which are new to science, in samples taken from showerheads and toothbrushes. The viruses, however, are unlikely to affect humans. They are bacteriophages, a type of virus that preys on bacteria. The expedition into bathroom biodiversity was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiomes.

The potato is a versatile vegetable—baked, roasted, fried, mashed—it can bring something to just about any menu. But, how exactly do these tasty tubers end up on our tables? We’ll give you a crash course in potato science, including how potatoes are grown (hint: not from seeds!) and what scientists look for when they develop new potato varieties.

Rye seeds recovered from the James R. Bentley shipwreck. Credit: Nick Schrader

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This segment is part of the The State Of Science spotlight

The SpaceX Starship ahead of a 2023 test flight. Credit: SpaceX

Donald Johanson excavating Lucy’s pelvis. Credit: ASU Institute of Human Origins

We recently asked our listeners which dubious health claims they’ve been seeing in their social media feeds or being circulated by friends and family. Unsurprisingly, we received a ton of questions about nutrition, including: Is seed oil bad for you? Does apple cider vinegar really lower blood sugar? What is the difference between processed and ultraprocessed foods?

Irregular, fatty marbling gives meat a unique texture that plant-based meat (pictured above) doesn’t quite have yet. Credit: Shutterstock

Lots of moments from “Gladiator II” are fiction. But some scientists think mock naval battles in the Colosseum totally happened.