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Every individual, whether man or woman, is not an isolated entity but a thriving ecosystem. This is the central theme of the American Museum of Natural History’s latest exhibition, The Secret World Inside You, which delves deep into the human microbiome. “The microbiome refers to all the organisms inhabiting our bodies, and it also encompasses their genetic material,” explained Susan Perkins, a curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, who co-curated the exhibit with Rob DeSalle during a press briefing. “While our human genome contains around 20,000 genes, the microbial genes within us number in the hundreds of thousands. At any moment, our bodies host between 30 trillion and 400 trillion microbial cells.”
Exhibition attendees will explore the diverse world of microbes, both beneficial and harmful, residing within us. Highlights include a towering 6-foot Winogradsky column—a microbial habitat crafted from mud, eggshells, and newspaper fragments—a game challenging visitors to build a thriving microbiome, and an interactive display illustrating how the microbiome influences our overall health.
“The revelation of the microbiome’s vast diversity and its impact on our health marks a groundbreaking medical discovery that empowers everyone to take actionable steps in their daily lives,” Perkins remarked. “Understanding how our behaviors, diets, medications like antibiotics, and other factors influence our microbiome equips us with the knowledge to make choices that directly affect our well-being. This realization has profoundly shifted my perspective. I no longer view myself as a solitary being; I am an ecosystem, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility toward the microscopic life within me.”
The Secret World Inside You debuts on November 7; here are some fascinating insights we gathered from the exhibit. For additional mental_floss content on the microbiome, visit here.
1. If you collected all the microbes from your body and placed them in a container, they would weigh approximately three pounds—nearly equivalent to the weight of your brain.
2. While in the womb, babies are shielded from harmful microbes by the amniotic sac. Their initial exposure to microbes occurs during birth, as they pass through the birth canal, which is lined with Lactobacillus bacteria (shown above) and, temporarily, bacteria from the digestive tract that migrate from the gut just before delivery. These bacteria settle on the baby’s skin and enter their mouth; upon swallowing, the beneficial bacteria travel to the digestive system, initiating the development of their microbiome.
3. In contrast, babies delivered via Cesarean section acquire their microbiome from bacteria on the hands of medical staff and the surrounding environment. While the long-term consequences remain unclear, C-section births, as opposed to vaginal deliveries, may influence immune system development and potentially contribute to conditions like allergies and asthma. Some physicians are now applying birth canal bacteria to newborns; if proven effective, this practice could become standard.
4. Those who use antiperspirant have 50 times fewer bacteria in their armpits compared to individuals who rely solely on soap for hygiene.
5. The microbe Brevibacterium livens thrives on your feet, feeding on amino acids and producing methanethiol, a notoriously pungent compound. Interestingly, this same microbe is utilized in the ripening process of Limburger cheese. Delicious!
6. Over 1100 distinct bacterial species can inhabit the human mouth, such as Streptococcus mutans (pictured above), which clings to the crevices of your teeth and contributes to cavities. Researchers are currently developing a vaccine to combat this microbe.
7. The stomach's highly acidic environment makes it inhospitable to most bacteria. In fact, 99 percent of your body's microbes reside in the digestive tract.
8. Both obese humans and mice share a common trait: a lack of the gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila. Supplementing obese mice with this bacterium has been shown to promote weight loss and repair the intestinal mucus barrier.
9. A single microbe might influence fashion choices more than any style blog: Research suggests that men infected with Toxoplasma gondii (pictured above)—the same parasite that removes fear in rodents—tend to dress carelessly, while infected women exhibit better fashion sense. T. gondii also alters behavior: Infected men often defy rules, whereas infected women become more outgoing. Approximately one-third of the global population carries this parasite.
10. Microbes from your body are scattered throughout your home. Research has revealed that the bacteria on surfaces like doorknobs and floors closely resemble those found on the skin of the inhabitants. The microbial composition of a house changed noticeably when a resident was away for a long weekend, and when a family relocated, their bacteria colonized the new residence within just a few days.
All images courtesy of AMNH.
