Scientists discovered that nine strains of human gut bacteria can effectively accumulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), notorious 'forever chemicals' with significant health risks. These bacteria absorbed 25 to 74% of PFAS in laboratory conditions within 24 hours, suggesting a natural mechanism to sequester and potentially eliminate these pollutants from the human body. The findings offer a promising avenue to mitigate PFAS bioaccumulation and toxicity by harnessing the human microbiome.