Some deep-sea creatures without mouths or guts rely entirely on microbes for energy.
In I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life , Ed Yong explores the transformative field of microbiome research, challenging the traditional view of microbes as mere "germs" and reframing them as essential partners in the story of life. The End of the Individual I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us an...
Bacteria provide squids with "invisibility cloaks" via bioluminescence and allow beetles to consume entire forests. Some deep-sea creatures without mouths or guts rely
They "sculpt" our organs and guide physical development from birth. They "sculpt" our organs and guide physical development
Rather than acting as a brute defense against intruders, the immune system is described as an instrument for managing microbial co-existence. Resident microbes "educate" the immune system, helping it distinguish between friend and foe.
Yong broadens the scope beyond human health to show how these partnerships define the natural world:
Microbes can bombard their hosts with genes, effectively modifying the genetic makeup and evolution of the species they inhabit. The Human Impact