Nematodes as Catalysts in Uniting Scientific Curiosity and Cultural Heritage

Designed and written by Mirella Hernandez Lima
Edited by Sheila Peeples and Kendall Dean
Illustrated by Mirella Hernandez Lima and Kendall Dean

El Día de Muertos es una celebración que honra la memoria de los seres queridos que han fallecido. Donde se rinde homenaje a la vida y a la muerte, porque sin vida no hay muerte.

The Day of the Dead is a celebration that honors the memory of loved ones who have passed away, paying tribute to both life and death. 

Death, an inevitable facet of human existence, marks the transition from the tangible realm to an enigmatic state beyond our comprehension. Across different epochs and societies, humans have grappled with the concept of mortality, developing a myriad of beliefs, rituals, and ideologies to make sense of this final passage. One such tradition we celebrate in Mexican culture is El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, a celebration rooted in pre-Hispanic indigenous and Spanish Catholic traditions that commemorate the return of departed loved ones to Earth. At the heart of this celebration are the ofrendas or altars in which flowers, candles, and calaveras (skulls), are the main decorations. Flowers, particularly marigolds (cempasúchil), are believed to guide the spirits back to the world of the living with their bright colors and strong fragrance, while candles illuminate the path for the spirits to return. Meanwhile, calaveras, often made of sugar and vividly decorated, symbolize death. Similar to Mexican culture, death also plays an important role in my research studies. To study how death impacts us biologically, researchers have taken advantage of the conserved biological processes that C. elegans share with humans. This non-parasite worm has been used in research to study development, genetics, and neurobiology. Now, I use this model organism to study how environmental factors, like death, affect health and aging. This dual perspective enriches my understanding of life and death, blending scientific inquiry with cultural reverence, and allowing me to approach my research with a profound sense of purpose and connection.

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