SCIENCE & ASTRONOMY: Why do patients sometimes get severe infections (sepsis) after stone-breaking treatments (lithotripsy), even when their urine was sterile? The answer: breaking the stone releases the bacteria trapped inside.

For decades, doctors believed the most common kidney stones (calcium oxalate) were lifeless lumps formed purely by chemistry—minerals building up in the kidney.

​A groundbreaking study published this month (Jan 2026) by UCLA Health has proven this wrong.
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Using high-tech… pic.twitter.com/DF9IT1TZVc

— Science & Astronomy (@sci_astronomy) January 27, 2026

For decades, doctors believed the most common kidney stones (calcium oxalate) were lifeless lumps formed purely by chemistry—minerals building up in the kidney. ​A groundbreaking study published this month (Jan 2026) by UCLA Health has proven this wrong. ​ Using high-tech fluorescence microscopy, researchers discovered that these stones actually contain live bacteria and fungal-like biofilms "entombed" inside them. The bacteria act as a scaffolding (nidus), allowing the minerals to crystalize and grow layer by layer. ​ This solves a long-standing medical mystery: Why do patients sometimes get severe infections (sepsis) after stone-breaking treatments (lithotripsy), even when their urine was sterile? The answer: breaking the stone releases the bacteria trapped inside. ​This could revolutionize treatment, shifting focus from just diet changes to targeting the hidden microbiome within the kidney. Journal Reference: Wong, Gerard C. L. et al, Intercalated bacterial biofilms are intrinsic internal components of calcium-based kidney stones, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2517066123.