Respiratory health

Black cats may be a symbol of bad luck in many Western societies, but one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to scientists, playing a key role in identifying a new virus that can infect humans. It's the second novel bug Pepper has hunted down.

New research has identified the mechanism by which air pollution damages the lungs’ self-cleaning system, leaving us vulnerable to infection. In doing so, it has also identified a way to reverse that damage and restore lung function.