Q&A: Unifying the microbiome sciences for global health and sustainability

Even if we can't see them, microorganisms are everywhere, inextricably linked to life on Earth at every level. They range from pathogenic bacteria and viruses that can make us sick to the microbes that live in the digestive tracts of every animal, helping break down food for important nutrients, to soil microbes vital to our ability to grow crops and feed the world, and many, many more.