In 1969, when microbiology of the built environment was a hot topic 

So just yesterday I was looking for the original paper describing the isolation of Thermus aquaticus (which is by the way the name I have given my hiking thermos, but that is another story).  I wanted to see from which hot springs Brock and Freeze (yup, his real name) had isolated this important (e.g., the …

No – not all dogs are good for your microbiome … 

Epidemiological and other studies have shown that, on average, having a dog is correlated to some possible health benefits (e.g., see this).  And some studies have further suggested that this might be connected to “the microbiome” in that having a dog might change the microbiome of one’s surroundings and that this in turn might contribute …

Microbiomes of the Built Environment Public Release Panel Discussion – Now Available to View!

Of potential interest, I received this from the NAS: Good afternoon – We are pleased to announce that a recording of the Microbiomes of the Built Environment report release panel discussion is now available to be viewed. Please visit the following website to view the discussion, as well as a PDF copy of the briefing …

What is the Exposome of the Built Environment and What are the Opportunities for Intentional Design?

  Researchers at Virginia Tech’s Center for Science and Engineering of the Exposome (SEE) recently published a critical review in ES&T examining the “exposome of the built environment” and proposed engineering strategies for its control. The exposome is defined as our lifetime exposure to chemicals, microbes, and radiation and derives from anything we come into …