The Bacteria in Your Gut

Scientists have found a link between obesity and the microbes in the human gut.

Why this matters: Morbid obesity is a serious problem; it's associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The reasons for the sudden increase in the number of obese individuals is also under intense debate. Research like this can help shed light on the situation. The other reason this matters, though, is that it is incredibly interesting that people are reliant upon trillions of microbes to help them digest their food; in a very intimate sense, we depend upon other organisms to stay healthy.