Humans continue to evolve as globalization allows for the mixing of genetic material from diverse populations, potentially leading to increased resilience and new phenotypes.

Bacteria and viruses can manipulate our bodies, which is why our defense mechanisms, including homeostasis, are crucial to prevent infections and maintain health.

Technological evolution is much faster than biological evolution, which may be our bottleneck in overcoming primal instincts.

The gut microbiome is critical for modulating our immune status, and changes in diet can fundamentally alter how the immune system operates, potentially reducing inflammation and disease risk.

The human microbiome plays a crucial role in how individuals respond to nutrition, and it can be altered, unlike genetics, which opens up possibilities for improving health through dietary changes.

The Human Microbiome Project aimed to define healthy versus diseased microbiomes by studying diverse populations, revealing significant individuality in gut microbiomes and the challenges in establishing universal health standards. Additionally, the microbiomes of traditional populations represent the closest approximation to how our ancestors lived, suggesting that our current industrialized microbiome may be deteriorating due to factors like antibiotic use and a Western diet.

Humans are uniquely capable of carrying weight over long distances, a trait that has shaped our evolution and ability to thrive.

Microbes can reflect our health status and actively affect our health, as shown in studies by Jeff Gordon's group at Washington University.

A healthy microbiome supports the immune system, metabolism, and gut-brain axis, but defining what constitutes a healthy versus unhealthy microbiome is complex and varies between individuals and populations.