So we may be able to combat superbugs by using platypus milk! Which makes you wonder how that link was made. Female platyplurals don't have teats. Milk comes through pores, a bit like sweat glands, and runs through the fur to be consumed by the young. Huge chance of being contaminated by whatever bugs may be on the body, from whatever. So the milk contains elements that protect the young from infection, evolution at work . And so is the lateral thinking that allowed someone to explore that extraordinary capacity. We may have lost Stephen Hawking but there are other minds enquiring out there. Who knows what we can do?

It makes you wonder who thought of investigating the properties of platypus milk and how the hell they obtained enough samples to do any meaningful study. Perhaps the last bit doesn't bear thinking about.It is, indeed, a brave new world.

Science is really interesting. I have recently been started on a different IV. Chemo called Eribulin. Apparently it was made from a rare sea sponge although now it is synthetic ly made by man after years of research. I found it very interesting reading about the rare sea sponge called Hali chrondria okadai and how it works to prevent the spread of cancer cells.

Saw that one, too @SoldierCrab I think the gut is absolutely fascinating with what they are finding out about it. And as for cancer and treatment...I'm hoping that if the surgeon is wrong and mine wasn't all cut out, the crappy chemo and rads and whatever else, will keep me alive until there's wonderful new treatments that are only being researched now! And that, if the unthinkable happens and one of my kids gets this or something similar, he or she will not have to go through what I am going through.

totally agree @Sister I have 2 daughters and 5 granddaughters I am the first in the family to be diagnosed with BC

@SoldierCrab We may be able to thank koalas and the animal kingdom for letting us know about fecal transfers and gut bacteria. I did wildlife care for a lot of years, and my mentor looked after tiny koalas and taught me that at a certain stage they are given poo from a healthy koala to get their guts right to help them digest eucalyptus leaves. The baby koalas eat it naturally from their Mum in the wild. In captivity when my friend brought out a jar of specially harvested koala poop (not the technical name) the koala joey actually jumped off its little branch and ran across her to get to the jar and eat some! She wasn't game to leave an open jar in the same room as them!

Why I like science | BCNA Online Network

Afraser
Member
8 years ago
We have a digestive system not unlike koalas, but our caecum (for digesting fibre) is a lot smaller. Probably just as well as koalas don't get all that much nutrition from gum leaves (poo or no poo) and sleep most of the time to conserve energy. The sleep challenged among us may not mind that aspect too much!
Mira
Member
8 years ago
@Joannie Oooops sorry!!! The baby koalas love it though!! :smiley:
Sister
Member
8 years ago
As long as there's no koalas around!
Anonymous
8 years ago
The user and all related content has been deleted.
Mira
Member
8 years ago
@SoldierCrab We may be able to thank koalas and the animal kingdom for letting us know about fecal transfers and gut bacteria. I did wildlife care for a lot of years, and my mentor looked after tiny koalas and taught me that at a certain stage they are given poo from a healthy koala to get their guts right to help them digest eucalyptus leaves. The baby koalas eat it naturally from their Mum in the wild. In captivity when my friend brought out a jar of specially harvested koala poop (not the technical name) the koala joey actually jumped off its little branch and ran across her to get to the jar and eat some! She wasn't game to leave an open jar in the same room as them!
Anonymous
8 years ago
The user and all related content has been deleted.
SoldierCrab
Member
8 years ago
totally agree @Sister
I have 2 daughters and 5 granddaughters I am the first in the family to be diagnosed with BC
Sister
Member
8 years ago
Saw that one, too @SoldierCrab I think the gut is absolutely fascinating with what they are finding out about it.

And as for cancer and treatment...I'm hoping that if the surgeon is wrong and mine wasn't all cut out, the crappy chemo and rads and whatever else, will keep me alive until there's wonderful new treatments that are only being researched now! And that, if the unthinkable happens and one of my kids gets this or something similar, he or she will not have to go through what I am going through.
SoldierCrab
Member
8 years ago
Yes I watched Insight on SBSondemand this week they were talking about healthy guts..... having the right bacteria etc in our guts.... https//www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1171896387665/insight-gut-feeling
they were discussing how they have found fecal transfers work wonders in several cases of bowel problems ... MY immediate thought was WTF but again who thought of this way to go forward to gain better health of us humans???
Onwards we progress with Science so thankful for those who investigate and try new things so for ONE I am here today because of those with a mind to try things....
wendy_h67
Member
8 years ago
Science is really interesting. I have recently been started on a different IV. Chemo called Eribulin. Apparently it was made from a rare sea sponge although now it is synthetic ly made by man after years of research. I found it very interesting reading about the rare sea sponge called Hali chrondria okadai and how it works to prevent the spread of cancer cells.