Hate getting a flu shot? Maybe someday you can get slimed instead! Scientists at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, recently found that a substance in the skin mucus of a species of frog can prevent the flu. The frog lives in southern India.
The substance kills a flu virus by attaching to a protein inside it, says Joshy Jacob, who led the study. Proteins are major building blocks of all living things.
There are multiple types of flu viruses. The substance in this frog’s slime works against just one strain. Jacob and his team are now looking for substances that can kill different strains for more complete protection.