50 years ago, scientists were on the trail of a brain-eating amoeba
Excerpt from the September 19, 1970 issue of Science News
![a microscopic image of Naegleria fowleri](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/090220_MT_50YA_amoeba_feat.jpg?fit=1028%2C579&ssl=1)
The brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri (pictured), dwells in rivers and lakes. After gliding up swimmers’ noses to the brain, the parasite damages tissue there and kills victims within a few days.
Melissa Jamerson, Ph.D./Virginia Commonwealth University