Humans are a hodgepodge of microorganisms. Might some “genetic” disease be infectious?

If an alien landed and walked up to you, what would the alien think you are? Certainly not human. That’s because of the 10 trillion cells that make up your body, only 1 trillion are human cells, while 9 trillion are microbes — and not just bacteria, viruses and fungi. Forty percent of the DNA in your nose and 60 percent of the DNA in your gut code for something we don’t yet recognize. Ninety percent of the DNA helix is still called dark or junk.

However, what we know about the microbes in our body is completely overshadowed by what we don’t know. So what are the new organisms that all this unknown DNA codes for?

Read the full, original story: How the bugs inside us can help cure diseases 

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skin microbiome x final

Infographic: Could gut bacteria help us diagnose and treat diseases? This is on the horizon thanks to CRISPR gene editing

Humans are never alone. Even in a room devoid of other people, they are always in the company of billions ...
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