How three scientists discovered why our bodies don’t destroy themselves

Sumit Jha

Oct 07, 2025

Health

Health

Imagine your body as a fortress under constant siege. Every single day, thousands of different viruses, bacteria and other microbes attempt to invade. 

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Your immune system is the army defending this fortress—and it’s incredibly good at its job. Without it, you would not survive.

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But here’s the terrifying part: this army is so powerful, so aggressive, that without something to control it, it would turn its weapons on the fortress itself and tear it apart from the inside.

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The question that has puzzled scientists for decades is breathtakingly simple: Why doesn’t the immune system attack our bodies more frequently?

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On Monday, three scientists—Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi—received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for finally answering this question. 

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They discovered the body’s secret security guards: Special cells that constantly patrol your body, making sure your defence system doesn’t accidentally destroy you.