Latest news with #MartinBlaser
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First Post
7 hours ago
- Health
- First Post
‘Poop vault': Why scientists in Switzerland are freezing human waste
The Microbiota Vault in Switzerland is home to thousands of frozen human waste samples. Scientists aim to gather 10,000 samples by 2029. Notably, human poop contains billions of microbes, and researchers hope to preserve them for future use in tackling health or medical issues. The vault also houses close to 200 kinds of fermented foods, known for their microbe-rich content that helps support gut health read more The Microbiota Vault, as it is called, is based in Switzerland. Image: Microbiota Vault Initiative Scientists in Switzerland are freezing human waste. But what's the reason? The frozen stool is being kept in a special 'doomsday' vault in Switzerland, which already holds over 1,000 samples. Researchers plan to collect 10,000 samples by the year 2029. The Microbiota Vault, as it is called, is based in Switzerland and is inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. But why are they saving poop there? Let's take a look: The reason behind 'doomsday' vault Human waste holds billions of microbes, and scientists want to preserve them in case future generations need these organisms to deal with medical or health problems, as per a commentary published on Friday (June 27) in the journal Nature Communications. The Swiss vault also stores nearly 200 types of fermented food, which are rich in microbes known to support gut health. The team plans to include environmental microbes as well. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The long-term goal is to create backup copies of microbes from humans, animals, plants and nature. This could help future researchers study diseases, restore damaged ecosystems, and develop new medical treatments. So far, scientists have frozen more than 1,200 stool samples at -80°C (-112°F), and they aim to collect thousands more from around the world. The commentary warned that the variety of microbes across the globe is in danger. Things like industrial farming, changes in climate, antibiotics, and even modern eating habits are reducing the diversity of microbiomes. This loss is linked to more cases of chronic illnesses, including autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Dr Martin Blaser, one of the authors and director at Rutgers University's Centre for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, said, 'Human activities are depleting our microbiome, and there's lots of evidence of that.' The researchers wrote, 'The loss of microbial diversity extends to environmental ecosystems, jeopardising agricultural systems and environmental resilience.' How will it help in the future? So far, the Microbiota Vault has been in its early or 'launch' stage. During this time, researchers tested if it was possible to collect and transport stool and fermented foods from around the world, according to the commentary. Over the last seven years, scientists in Switzerland have received 1,204 stool samples and 190 food samples from Benin, Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, Laos, Thailand and Switzerland. These are now stored at -80°C at the University of Zurich. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The project has now entered its 'growth' stage. Researchers hope to gather thousands more samples, including microbes from areas with fragile ecosystems. There are also plans to find a permanent site for the vault, preferably in a cold country like Switzerland or Canada. Although there is no certainty that frozen microbes can fully bring back a damaged microbiome, scientists are hopeful that future technology will make it possible. 'Maybe 100 years from now, having saved these microbes could prevent a major disaster,' Dr Blaser said in a statement. The team also said in the article, 'It is our obligation to future generations to preserve this microbial diversity.' Not the first project of its kind Back in late 2023, scientists from Nist (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in Charleston, South Carolina, received a special delivery. It had containers holding bags of frozen human stool. Researchers at Nist and an outside lab worked together to turn the samples into fine powder. This was then mixed with water until it had a smoothie-like texture. The mixture was poured into 10,000 tubes and shared between Nist teams in Charleston and Gaithersburg, Maryland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scientists in both cities have been closely examining the material ever since. All of this research aims to help set the stage for a new range of medical treatments made using human waste.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
A doomsday poop vault! Here's why scientists are freezing 10,000 samples of human feces
Swiss researchers are reportedly creating a "doomsday vault" of human feces. Their goal? To freeze and preserve 10,000 stool samples by 2029 in an effort to safeguard humanity's microbial heritage . Located in Switzerland, the Microbiota Vault is modeled after Norway's famous Svalbard Global Seed Vault. But instead of preserving crops, this project focuses on the microbes living in and around us—starting with the ones in our gut. Human feces contain billions of microbes essential for digestion, immunity, and overall health. So far, scientists have already frozen over 1,200 stool samples at -80°C (-112°F), with plans to collect thousands more from across the globe. The vault also houses nearly 200 fermented food samples and will eventually store environmental microbes too. Together, these form a global archive of microbial life vital to human, animal, and ecosystem health. Why Save Microbes? According to a June 27 commentary in Nature Communications , microbial diversity is under serious threat. Factors like industrial farming, climate change, antibiotics, and even modern diets are eroding the richness of microbiomes worldwide. And with that loss comes rising rates of chronic illnesses—ranging from autoimmune diseases to metabolic disorders. Live Events 'Our microbiome is under threat,' the researchers wrote. 'Microbe loss is associated with an alarming rise in chronic diseases.' Dr. Martin Blaser, co-author of the paper and director at Rutgers University's Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, warns that 'human activities are depleting our microbiome, and there's lots of evidence of that.' Preserving the Past to Heal the Future The Microbiota Vault began in 2018 with a pilot phase testing the feasibility of collecting and storing microbial samples globally. Contributions have come from countries like Brazil, Ethiopia, Laos, and Ghana. Now, the project is entering its 'growth' phase, aiming to secure a permanent cold-climate vault—ideally in Switzerland or Canada—and expand its microbial library significantly. Will freezing poop actually help future generations? Scientists believe that even if restoration isn't possible now, future medical advances could make it so. 'We believe that one day the science will improve sufficiently so that we will have really good restorative techniques,' said Blaser. In short: today's poop could be tomorrow's medical breakthrough.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Why researchers are building a poop vault with 10,000 frozen samples
Credit: Microbiota Vault Initiative It may sound like a headline from a science fiction novel—or clickbait—but it's absolutely real: scientists in Switzerland are deep-freezing human feces in what's being called a 'doomsday vault. ' The project aims to preserve microbial life for future generations, and over 1,000 fecal samples have already been stored, with a goal to reach 10,000 by 2029. But why, you might ask, are scientists so interested in saving poop? The answer lies in the invisible universe living inside it. Microbes: Small organisms, big impact Human feces contain billions of microbes—tiny organisms that play an essential role in digestion, immunity, and overall health. According to a commentary published Friday (June 27) in Nature Communications, scientists want to ensure these microbial communities are not lost over time. These microbes may hold the key to treating future medical conditions and responding to global health crises. The Swiss facility doesn't stop at human waste. It also stores nearly 200 types of fermented foods, which are rich in 'gut-friendly' microbes. The team even plans to include environmental microbes, creating a comprehensive archive of microbial life that supports human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Why microbial preservation matters 'Our microbiome is under threat,' wrote the researchers behind the project. 'Microbe loss is associated with an alarming rise in chronic diseases, such as allergic, autoimmune, and metabolic disorders.' Human actions—such as industrial agriculture, widespread antibiotic use, and climate change—are disrupting microbiomes everywhere. From thawing permafrost to depleted farmlands, ecosystems are losing microbial diversity at a rapid pace. Preserving samples today could allow scientists tomorrow to restore what's been lost. Dr. Martin Blaser, director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University and co-author of the commentary, emphasized this urgency: 'Human activities are depleting our microbiome, and there's lots of evidence of that.' A microbial ark for the future Launched in 2018, the Microbiota Vault was inspired by Norway's Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which protects plant diversity from extinction. In its initial 'launch' phase, the Microbiota Vault focused on testing the logistics of collecting and preserving microbial samples from around the world. So far, researchers have collected 1,204 fecal samples and 190 fermented food samples from countries including Benin, Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, Laos, Thailand, and Switzerland. These are currently stored at −112°F (−80°C) at the University of Zurich. Now, the initiative is entering its 'growth' phase. The goal is to expand the collection to include thousands more samples—especially from vulnerable ecosystems—and to establish a permanent vault location, preferably in a cold climate such as Switzerland or Canada. While there's no guarantee that reintroducing frozen microbes will successfully restore a damaged microbiome, scientists believe future technologies will make this possible. 'We believe that one day the science will improve sufficiently so that we will have really good restorative techniques,' said Blaser.
