Invisible Friends

How Microbes Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us

Jake Robinson

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Hardback

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English

Pelagic Publishing
07 March 2023

Microbiology (non-medical); Human biology; Biodiversity

As we continue to live through a pandemic, all eyes are on microbes: an imperceptible and pervasive threat that hangs heavy on the air and clings to surfaces. But the reality of micro-organisms is far more diverse and life-sustaining than such a notion would have us believe (hence the title of this book). Not only are they omnipresent, but we are highly attuned to their workings – both in the world at large and right here within our own bodies. Meanwhile, cutting-edge microbiome research is changing our understanding of reality, challenging fundamental concepts of free will and individuality. Threaded through everything are microbes: the very glue that holds ecosystems together.

This topical, engaging and original book counters the prevailing narrative of microbes as the bane of society, along the way providing much-needed clarity on the overwhelmingly beneficial role they play. We discover how the microbiome is highly relevant to environmental and social equity issues, while there’s also discussion about how microbes may influence our decisions: even the way we think about how we think may need to be revisited. Invisible Friends introduces the reader to a vast, pullulating cohort of minute life – friends you never knew you had.

By: Jake Robinson
Imprint: Pelagic Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 489g
ISBN: 9781784274337
ISBN 10: 178427433X
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 07 March 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1 The microbiome and humans as walking ecosystems 2 Rekindling old friendships in new landscapes 3 Antibiotic resistant landscapes 4 Microbes and social equity 5 The Psychobiotic Revolution 6 The Lovebug Effect 7 The Holobiont Blindspot 8 The glue that holds our ecosystems together 9 Microbes and trees 10 Rewild. Regenerate. Restore 11 Biointegrated design 12 Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (MIGI) 13 To catch a thief: forensic microbiology 14 Microbes in outer space 15 You are what your microbes eat 16 Nature connectedness Conclusion Microbes 101 Notes Glossary Bibliography

Jake M. Robinson is a microbial ecologist based in the UK. In 2021, he received a PhD from the University of Sheffield. He is passionate about researching microbes, ecosystems, social equity issues and the connections between them, and at the same time is keen to develop ways to conserve and restore nature. Invisible Friends is his first book.

Reviews for Invisible Friends: How Microbes Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us

A fascinating exploration of the possibility of the microscopic world...This is not a book written to shock the reader, or to make the reader aghast at the number of microbes on their eyelashes, or in every breath they take. Rather, it is a book to prompt the restoration of the symbiotic relationship between the visible and invisible worlds, as well as the awareness and appreciation of what is contained within our microbiomes. -- Brian McHugh, Climate Thoughts with Brian Invisible Friends by Jake Robinson is just COOL. A journey through an ever changing understanding of the microscopic world. -- Charlie Bingham, nature and travel writer