Only recently have we begun to realize how we as humans coexist with the global array of microbes—what we call the microbiome. Unfortunately, we still have a largely naïve view of that relationship, often shaped by popular media figures expressing their disgust when someone reports that samples taken from phones or door handles in our offices or homes are flush with germs. This simplistic view is like concluding that the only good plant is a dead one because you don’t want weeds in your yard.
