The Microbiome Isn't Just About You Anymore

You already know that you have a microbiome: the bacteria that live in and on your body, subtly (and not so subtly) influencing your health. But while you’d probably love to know what germs are going to make you thinner/healthier/more regular, human microbiome therapies are going to be slow to work their way through the FDA’s approval process. Don’t hold your breath for a magic germ pill. And don’t be so self-centered. See, everything has a microbiome, whether it’s a subway platform or a cornfield. Luckily, research that can help us understand those communities will hit the market a helluva lot faster. One company, Indigo, has been analyzing the bacterial composition of agricultural staples to see how pesticides and fertilizers may have changed the balance of the plants’ symbiotic bugs over time. Indigo then concocted new combinations of germs intended to help crops grow faster or in harsher conditions (it harvested its first crop last fall: 50,000 acres of drought-resistant cotton). Meanwhile, scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory are applying similar research to create healthier, more robust bug populations in hospitals and homes. Call it community immunity.