The Daily Planet #18: The Microbiocene

Sometimes people say the Internet was invented by felines to turn us into cat video addicts. I am more of a dog person, so I will pretend I never heard that story of the web's origins. Humans have had cats by their bedside (and deathside) for millennia, but Microbes are another story. We didn't even know they existed until a couple of centuries ago, and until recently infectious diseases were the largest killers of humanity.

Biofilms are like cities of microbes. Like cities they develop and grow over time. Like cities they have architecture. Like cities they are built by the residents; and in these cities the residents are protected from numerous dangers they might encounter. Stained Pseudomonas aeruginosa colony biofilm grown in the laboratory

©Roberto Kolter and Scott Chimileski, Harvard Medical School

COVID didn't kill as many people as we feared it would, but it was arguably the beginning of microbial politics. The transition from the Anthropocene to the Microbiocene marks a profound shift in how we understand humanity’s place within the natural world. The Anthropocene, a term that highlights the significant impact humans have had on Earth’s ecosystems and geology, implicitly assumes a clear separation between humans and nature.

It suggests that humans stand apart, shaping the planet through technology and industry, while nature remains a distinct “out there” realm. The Microbiocene reframes our understanding by emphasizing the deep interconnectedness between humans and the microbial world. They are in us, they hang around our breath and they adorn every wall and table we own. The Microbiocene reveals that we are multispecies ecosystems, intricately woven with bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that have shaped our evolution and continue to regulate our health and environment.