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AAAS-Hitachi Lecture on Science & Society

, Washington, DC

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

The 2016 Annual AAAS-Hitachi Lecture on Science and Society will be addressed by Ed Yong, science writer, The Atlantic

Description

Every animal is an entire world—a thriving ecosystem that teems with trillions of microbes. These invisible companions sculpt our organs, protect us from diseases, guide our behaviour, and bombard us with their genes.

In this talk, based on his New York Times bestselling book I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, Mr. Yong will take us on a tour of our microbial partners and the astonishing ways in which they shape our lives. You'll learn how bacteria have shaped animal evolution, why breastfeeding is about more than just babies, how animals can survive without mouths or guts, why Australian scientists are fighting tropical diseases by releasing infected mosquitoes, and what the microbiome means for human health.

Ed Yong - Mr. Yong is an award-winning science writer who reports for The Atlantic. His writing has also appeared in National Geographic, the New Yorker, Wired, the New York Times, Scientific American, and more. His first book, I Contain Multitudes, is about the amazing partnerships between microbes and animals.