From the beginning of our history as a species until the end of time and life on the planet as we know it, they will be here. They are our allies, they protect us from other types of microbes than can be harmful, and they break down our food, prepare our immune systems, and even give us extraordinary abilities.Įverywhere else on the planet, they also have a role to play. We are literally covered by microbes: some inhabit our skin, some live inside our gut, and all of them are important. It’s like discovering a huge world inside our own–like the end of my favorite movie, Men in Black, when Agent K kicks open a locker door and shows Agent J how ridiculously small we are compared to other things. It has as many micro-systems, growing populations, and small wars as the macro-world does. As you plunge into the book there will be a few surprises in it for you, since microbes inhabit every aspect of life on earth. When I heard that he was publishing his first book, I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander Way of Life, I was really excited, and I was honored to be able to review it.

That is what most scientific writers out there aspire to, and he achieves this in a seemingly easy way, with clear prose and fantastic anecdotes. Not only does he inform you of new and amazing discoveries almost on a daily basis, but he also makes you laugh, ponder out loud, and see the universe in a new light. Yong, of Not Exactly Rocket Science fame, writes for National Geographic and is an expert journalist. I first met Ed Yong when looking for an easy and understandable way to keep up with scientific discoveries, and I was really glad when I found him.

I contain multitudes book review