Lukas VFN 🇪🇺

Deep sea worm fights poison with poison to survive high #arsenic and sulfide levels https://phys.org/news/2025-08-deep-sea-worm-poison-survive.html

A #DeepSea worm detoxifies arsenic and sulfur by intracellular #biomineralization of orpiment (As2S3) https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003291

"A hydrothermal vent worm survives the high levels of arsenic and sulfide in its environment by combining them to form a less hazardous mineral... #orpiment—the same toxic, golden mineral produced by this worm—was once prized by medieval and Renaissance painters"

Aug 27 at 8:04pmWeb
Show threadJon SullivanAug 27
@animalculum Fascinating.
Show threadClaire BarnesOct 22

@animalculum This is glorious! & would have delighted connoisseurs in the 14th century, a time of experiments with different yellows and golds.

#orpiment #yellow #MedievalArt #14thCentury @medievodons

Show threadSimon FlettOct 22
@animalculum smart worm!