The gut microbiome is an important ecosystem of microbes that lives in each one of us, and its strength affects our overall health. However, the small intestine is an underappreciated part of the gut ...

This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is a type of medical imaging that uses a magnetic field to view details in the small intestine. Doctors can use this technique to diagnose conditions such as ...

The US humorist Christopher Morley once described the human body as “an ingenious assembly of portable plumbing”. He wasn’t wrong: from our cardiovascular and lymphatic systems to our guts and urinary ...

SIBO is when bacteria that normally live in your colon start growing too much in your small intestine. Diagnosing SIBO is tricky. There’s no perfect test, and symptoms like bloating and gas can be ...

A 63-year-old man was having a routine colonoscopy when doctors saw a fly in his intestines. Doctors said it was a "mystery" how the fly had gotten in there and remained intact. Insects can enter the ...