Unveiling the Enigmatic Onset of Heartbeats in Animal Embryos

Scientists at Harvard University have captured the moment when a zebrafish embryo's heart starts beating, shedding light on the early stages of heart development. Using high-speed microscope imaging, the researchers observed how waves of calcium ions became organized and propagated in developing zebrafish embryos, triggering the heart's first pulse. The study suggests that the mechanisms of heart formation may be shared across vertebrates, including humans, and could provide insights into cardiac irregularities such as arrhythmias.