Natural Sciences 191CNS97 - Unseen Ecosystems: How Microbi

Recent scientific estimates suggest that half of the cells in the human body aren?t even human! They come from the communities of tiny organisms that live within us. These communities of microbes are known as the microbiome. What do these ?invisible? communities do? How do we study the invisible in the first place? In this class we will explore what a microbiome is, what influences microbial communities, and how microbiomes have shaped life on earth. From soil to plants to human skin, our environment is filled with unseen microbial ecosystems. Together we will discover the rich world of microbes around and inside of us.

Open to Natural Sciences Freshman with a declared major or on the Natural Sciences Exploratory Track. Freshmen Only