Due to my antennae being tuned to all things ferment related just now, I have become a little obsessed with the human microbiome.
Because that’s what we all are, you see. A symbiotic community of microbes. There are 10 times more cells from microorganisms like bacteria and fungi in and on our bodies than there are human cells…
Better keep them all as happy as we can then, no?
– via NPR
Here’s our favourite articles on the subject currently:
Some of My Best Friends Are Germs – Michael Pollan in the New York Times
Gut Bacteria Might Guide The Workings Of Our Minds – NPR
Why You Shouldn’t Wrinkle Your Nose At Fermentation – NPR
Exploring The Invisible Universe That Lives On Us — And In Us – National Public Radio (great animation)
The Graphic Science of Perrin Ireland (here’s her old blog, tell us if you can find her new one)
Have you too been reading up on yourself as a super organism? Any good links to share?
In February, we’re bringing Sandor Katz, the radical fermenter and author of The Art of Fermentation, to Australia to teach and talk to, superorganisms like me and like you!
Sandor will be in Australia for three weeks to show and talk about how to make a wide range of tasty ferments, and also why to make them. Your microbiome would love to attend. See you there!
>> More posts about fermentation here
Lead image by Perrin Ireland
Is this Perrin Ireland’s new blog:
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/pireland/scientists_speak_out_on_harm_o.html
Great compilation of microbiome info! I like microbes a lot too…
http://lonelyspore.wordpress.com/
oh I love this, we are never actually alone, take that existential angst!
Hooray!
Reblogged this on Slow Natural Living and commented:
We are all Superorganism’s
Another couple of micro infofor those that enjoy this type of stuff: around 8% of your genome is in fact bacterial, 10 times more cells but 100 times more genetic material, a mother does a dump of bacteria into the childs stomach just before giving birth and approximately 15% of mothers milk produced is specificly for consumption by bacteria. There is ongoing research into how children who are born by cesarean and do not get this bacterial dump have a higher rate of asthma and general alergies. It gets even more interesting when you start appreciating how the diverse biota… Read more »