Reporting in the journal Nature Communications,  researchers write that they were able to track down the cells causing clogged arteries. Dr. Jill Helms, co-author on the study, discusses why stem cells are to blame and how the study could lead to more effective treatments.

In the SciFri Snack: We thought we knew what was at the root of heart disease, but new research doesn’t fit the existing theory. It’s a good thing because, as Dr. Jill Helms tells us, the old idea may have fit too snugly. Check out more SciFri Snacks — and join a conversation about what you’ve heard — at Soundcloud.