New York, NY — In an explosive new report, scientists have uncovered an astonishing phenomenon: millions of adults worldwide are covert sleeper agents, programmed to utter the phrase “the powerhouse of the cell” whenever they hear the word “mitochondrion.”

The shocking discovery was made after researchers conducted a series of tests involving everyday conversations, with the word “mitochondrion” strategically inserted into random topics. To their surprise, every single adult participant immediately blurted out, “It’s the powerhouse of the cell,” as if the phrase had been embedded into their subconscious minds during childhood.

“I was just talking to my colleague about grocery store prices when, out of nowhere, she said ‘mitochondrion,’ and I instinctively completed the sentence,” said Tom Winters, a 34-year-old office manager and self-proclaimed ‘non-science person.’ “I’m not even sure what a mitochondrion does, but I knew exactly what I had to say next. It felt like my body was taken over by some outside force.”

The research team, led by Dr. Carla Jeffries, a cognitive scientist at the University of New Hampshire, noted that this bizarre behavior appears to be widespread among adults, regardless of their educational background or prior exposure to the sciences.

“Our findings suggest that the word ‘mitochondrion’ acts like a verbal trigger for a dormant behavioral pattern, one that compels individuals to repeat the age-old mantra they picked up by osmosis,” Dr. Jeffries explained. “It’s as if the phrase has been encoded in the collective unconscious of humanity, waiting for the right word to activate it. And when ‘mitochondrion’ is spoken—BAM! The sleeper agent kicks in.”

The phenomenon has become so widespread that a new social etiquette has developed to prevent awkward, spontaneous biology recitations. In some circles, it’s now considered impolite to use the word “mitochondrion” unless it is followed immediately by, “It’s the powerhouse of the cell,” lest a conversation devolve into an impromptu biology lesson.

“I didn’t even mean to say it,” confessed Margaret Lee, a 42-year-old lawyer. “I was talking to my friend about my son’s science project, and when I said ‘mitochondrion,’ my mouth just… took over. Next thing I knew, I was completing the sentence in front of a bunch of strangers at a cocktail party. It’s embarrassing. Now, people just expect me to know everything about cells.”

In a related study, some experts have suggested that “chlorophyll” and “photosynthesis” could be the next sleeper-agent phrases, potentially causing adults to uncontrollably say, “It turns sunlight into energy!” with the same automatic reflex.