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? How have microbial communities shaped life on Earth? In this course, we will explore these questions by investigating microbial communities, from the first colonies of single-celled organisms to the microbes fermenting our food. We will critically evaluate the close connections between microbial and macroscopic life, and consider how this relationship alters our conceptions of what it means to be alive.

First year students only - (Freshmen or Sophomore status)