Scientists discover never-before-seen part of human cells — and it looks like a snowman wearing a scarf
Originally published by Christoph Schwaiger at livescience.com on July 1, 2025 Scientists say they captured 3D images of a new organelle they're calling a "hemifusome," which may be a recycling center in human cells. The green and orange structures in this image are hemifusomes, newly discovered organelles that may represent a previously unrecognized pathway for recycling in human cells. (Image credit: Courtesy UVA Health) A new organelle has been discovered in human cells — and scientists call it a " hemifusome ." Like the full-size organs in our bodies, the organelles within cells are specialized structures that carry out specific functions . While observing filaments that maintain the shape of cells, Seham Ebrahim , an assistant professor at the University of Virginia , and her team noticed a new structure that was consistently appearing in the 3D images they were making . Read more