Since the introduction of germ theory in the mid-1800s, we feared, over-sanitized and operated with a general anti-microbial-everything approach because of what we didn’t know. Now, research reveals the very microbes we have spent 100+ years trying to eradicate (and to which we are indebted for the existence of complex life on Earth), may even hold the key to unlocking the future of life on this Earth & beyond.

Can bacteria eliminate single use plastic? Could probiotics restore balance to a threatened species? Will microbes fuel our space expeditions, or be used to terraform a new planet?

In this discussion, we will explore how microbes could one day solve the biggest challenges facing humanity and what’s needed to steward the future of this field for human & planetary health.