#bee lovers

Like a cotton swab, the fuzzy body of a bee collects microbes and other tiny particles while it forages for food and resources. The sample size appears large enough for scientists to detect illnesses and threats amongst a human population.

According to editor Linda Poon for Bloomberg, "the study has begun in New York City where researchers were able to find a diversity of species- including bacteria associated with plants- and human-related pathogens." In Venice, Italy, researchers have collected samples containing fungi related to wood rot where residence buildings sit atop wooden pilling submerged in water.

Similarly, in Tokyo, Poon states that researchers have found genetic traces of a fermenting yeast commonly used in soy sauce production and miso paste. (How fascinating!)