In times of pandemic all eyes are on microbes: a threat that hangs heavy on the air and clings to surfaces. But micro-organisms are far more diverse and life-sustaining than such a notion would have us believe. 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. Threaded through everything are microbes: the very glue that holds ecosystems together.

This topical talk counters the narrative of microbes as the bane of society, along the way providing clarity on the beneficial role they play. We discover how the microbiome – the community of micro-organisms – is highly relevant to environmental and social equity issues, while there’ll also be discussion about how microbes may influence our decisions: even the way we think about how we think may need to be revisited. Invisible Friends : How Microbes Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us will introduce the reader to a vast, pullulating cohort of minute life – friends you never knew you had.

Jake M. Robinson is a microbial ecologist based in the UK. He started writing this book when he lived in Nottingham. His talk will be illustrated.