Scientists uncover cell that lets Burmese pythons dissolve entire skeletons

Scientists uncover cell that lets Burmese pythons dissolve entire skeletons

Scientists have identified a strange new intestinal cell in Burmese pythons that helps the snakes dissolve and process the bones of their prey — another reminder of the damage the destructive displaced species has done in Florida and elsewhere. What's happening? In a study published in 2025 in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers described a previously unknown cell type in the intestines of Burmese pythons that appears to help them b…