“The Edge of Wonder” The Human Microbiome
We have something a little bit special for you this week: a brand new documentary on the human microbiome, featuring some of the hottest new discoveries in this exciting area! We used bodypaint to create the visuals.
The Human Microbiome takes viewers on a journey through the vast universe of microscopic life that comprises over 99% of the DNA and between 50% to 90% of the cells in our bodies - and the epidemic rise of non-communicable diseases, from allergies to Alzheimers to cancer, that plague the developed world. Episode 1 reveals that only by understanding ourselves as ecosystems, rather than singular organisms, can we understand and defeat the diseases that destroy millions of lives each year.
This original episodic series that chronicles the most promising advances and the most enthralling mysteries in human health and disease.
Each episode focuses on a different topic, bringing the bleeding edge of our understanding to light with clarity, visual imagination, and the excitement of scientific discovery.
Check out the trailer above and the whole 30-minute film in the link below. You just need to enter your email address on the Edge of Wonder page to receive a link to view the whole film for free.
As we continue to abuse antibiotics, overwash with antibacterial soap, and consume processed foods laden with chemicals, our bodies – and guts – have changed.
That change has led to antibiotic resistance and our bodies’ inability to fight off new “superbugs” like the potentially fatal bowel infection Clostridium difficile (C. diff) that affects more than 450,000 people every year, killing 29,000.
From the connection between vaginal delivery and the development of the immune system in newborn infants, to the packs of viruses that can be harnessed to combat antibiotic resistance, to the connections between the bacteria in our gut, our mental health, and obesity, “The Human Microbiome” documentary takes us on a journey through one of the most fascinating areas of human biology – one that is only just beginning to come to light.
The documentary features some of the BIGGEST names in microbiome research from Harvard, Cornell and New York Universities, including Martin Blaser (best-selling author of ‘Missing Microbes’) and leaky gut pioneer, Alessio Fasano.
Participants include to name a few (a full list is here):
Claire M. Fraser PhD – Pioneer and global leader in genomic medicine
Jack Gilbert – Faculty Director of the Microbiome Center, a Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine
Rodney Dietert PhD – internationally-known author of ‘The Human Super-Organism’, lecturer, scientist, media personality and educator
Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, PhD, – Associate Professor in the Division ofTranslational Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the New York University Langone Medical Center
Martin J. Blaser – Director of the NYU Human Microbiome Program and author of ‘Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues’
Sarkis Mazmanian – Medical microbiologist at California Institute of Technology
Some of the highlights for me are:
The riddle discovered by scientists that the human genome doesn’t seem to have enough genes! A typical worm has 75,000 genes, plants have 150,000 genes but we have only 23,000! Where do the rest of the ‘instructions’ come from that power our bodies? Answer: from the genes of billions of friendly, symbiotic microbes that live inside us.
The timeline of discoveries of diseases that are associated with a damaged microbiome, from obesity and Irritable Bowel Syndrome to cancer, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis. The list is increasing every day!
The sad fact is that the human microbiome is under attack. Over generations we are losing more and more of its original richness and diversity. This has even been described as a ‘mass extinction’.The health consequences are enormous and frightening. However with increasing education and awareness about this issues, I believe we can gradually the turn the tide and begin protecting our microbiome again.
The health consequences are enormous and frightening. However with increasing education and awareness about this issues, I believe we can gradually the turn the tide and begin protecting our microbiome again.
Challenge
Research into the human microbiome is exploding as scientists discover an ever-larger number of correlations between the populations of microorganisms that live inside us, and a wide range of diseases. We wanted to make a film that would provide an inspiring introduction to this new field that would be broadly accessible and visually stunning, without sacrificing scientific accuracy.
Strategy
We began with a deep dive into the scientific literature, researching all of the known associations between changes to the microbiome and disease. We contacted experts in rheumatoid arthritis, gene sequencing and bioinformatics, cancer, autism, nutrition and obesity, and more. We thought carefully about how to visually depict organisms and processes that cannot be seen with the human eye.
Solution
Using human body art and sculpture combined with animation, and interviews with some of the foremost scientists in the field of microbiology, our film takes viewers through the vast universe of microscopic life that comprises over 99% of the DNA and between 50% to 90% of the cells in our bodies - and the epidemic rise of non-communicable diseases, from allergies to Alzheimers to cancer, that plague the developed world. Read more about this project on our blog.
