The composition of bacteria in our gut regulates our immune system. Modifying it - through poo transplants for example - can control cancer risk, as well as response to treatment.
New research suggests our gut microbes have their own circadian rhythms that in turn influence our organ functions. Is this an explanation for how disrupting our daily patterns can cause health problems?
The particular makeup of a newborn’s gut microbes is important as it has been shown to affect their risk of developing certain diseases later in childhood and adulthood.
Human activities have altered whole ecosystems with declines in species diversity, extinctions and the introduction of weeds and pests. But it’s not just the outside world we’re harming.