Would you be upset to know that you're coated in bacteria and other microorganisms from head to foot? According to the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), the average adult human's genome is quite small compared to the "metagenome," which consists of all of the different organisms both on and inside us. The project suggests that diet, physical and mental development, and resistance to disease can be affected by the balance of these microorganisms, which is why the National Institutes of Health Common Fund has offered its support to the HMP in an effort to better understand this symbiotic relationship. To find out more about all the nasty things that help you digest your meals and keep you from getting sick, give the Human Microbiome Project a look.
