Public sanitation and antibiotic drugs have brought about historic increases in the human life span; they have also unintentionally produced new health crises by disrupting the intimate, age-old balance between humans and the microorganisms that inhabit our bodies and our environment. As a result, antibiotic resistance now ranks among the gravest medical problems of modern times. [This book] addresses not only this issue but also what has become known...

"This book explores the human microbiome--the trillions of microbes that share our bodies--and why it has become one of the hottest areas of research in human health. The book discusses the microbes that live on us and in us, how scientists study them, and how they relate to health issues such as infections, obesity, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. The book delves into the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), a US government/National Institutes of...

"Taking us inside the ongoing quest to use phages' powers for good, Tom Ireland introduces us to the brilliant, often eccentric, scientists who have fought to realize phages' potential in the face of doubt and political intrigue. We meet the renegade French-Canadian scientist who discovered phages and pioneered their use as medicine over a century ago, leading them to be hailed as the world's first genuine antibiotic years before penicillin. We learn...

Check in to The Good Germ Hotel to learn about all the good germs and bacteria superheroes that live inside the human body. These amazing microbes fight viruses, digest food, and keep us healthy and happy. Did you know that your body is full of bacteria? And that most of it is good bacteria that helps to keep you healthy? Well, now is your chance to get up close and personal with the microorganisms that live inside all of us. Travel through the body...