leeches

Leeches can now be used to treat Parkinson's and epilepsy

Scientists have made a breakthrough in the field of bioelectronics by successfully injecting gel polymers inside leeches and zebrafish, which organized themselves into functional electrodes.  The study was published in Science journal. It was revealed that when the gel molecules came in contact with enzymes inside an animal's body, they became electrically conductive.  This innovation could lead to better treatments for people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's and epilepsy by allowing scientists to stimulate areas of the body with an external voltage. Professor Magnus Berggren at the Laboratory for Organic Electronics, LOE, at Linköping University, Sweden, noted that for decades, they have tried to create electronics that mimic biology, but now they let biology create the electronics for them.




leeches

Leeches use their whole bodies to entomb and eat ultra-fast worms

Blackworms are ultra-fast swimmers, and they tangle up into worm balls to protect themselves from predators – but leeches have an ingenious method of catching them called “spiral entombment”




leeches

"They Don't Teach Leeches In Nursing School"


Possibly the most awesome business card ever by John "Pathfinder" Lester (cc by)

I've been dispensing leeches at my hospital for at least a decade, so that makes me something of a self-styled leech expert ... codex99 discusses working with leech therapy in ChuraChura's post the leech triumphantly oozed its way back into the hospital