We already know everyone's favorite echinoderm is a far-eastern delicacy, has purported aphrodisiac qualities, and is a real life shape shifter even J. K. Rowling couldn't dream up... but according to an international team of scientists, the under appreciated sea cucumber may just be a veritable miracle worker to boot! Not only are these critters up to regenerating our organs and bringing eyesight to the blind, now they're potentially stopping the spread of malaria which might one day save millions of lives. It's like the second coming... errr, for holothurians. From PLoS Pathogens:
Malaria is arguably the most important vector-borne disease worldwide, affecting 300 million people and killing 1-2 million people every year. The lack of an effective vaccine and the emergence of the parasites' resistance to many existing anti-malarial drugs have aggravated the situation. Clearly, development of novel strategies for control of the disease is urgently needed. Mosquitoes are ...
