I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

Millions of bacteria and other microorganisms live within every species, including humans, squid, and wasps. Although the microbiome—the microorganisms that coexist with us—builds our bodies, maintains our health, shapes our identities, and gives us amazing talents, many people see bacteria as pathogens that need to be eliminated. Ed Yong gives us an amazing tour of our microbial friends in this book and exposes us to the scientists that are at the forefront of research.

Yong challenges us to see ourselves and our animal friends less as individuals and more as the interrelated, interdependent multitudes that we unquestionably are. His humour is as apparent as his knowledge. Our bodies contain microorganisms that are a component of our immune systems and keep us healthy. Those in termites and cows break down the vegetation they consume. Mysterious organisms without intestines or mouths that live in the deep ocean rely entirely on bacteria for their energy. Millions of people suffer from illnesses caused by worms, beetles that help destroy forests, and squids who wear invisible cloaks thanks to bacteria.

The narrative of these remarkable alliances between species we know and those we do not is told in I Contain Multitudes. It demonstrates how we as humans are upsetting these alliances and how we may take advantage of them. It will alter our perception of the natural world as well as our feeling of our place within it.