> Unexplored microbes hold incredible potential for science and industry
>
> Humans live in the midst of a seething, breathing microbial world.
> Microorganisms populate every conceivable habitat, both familiar and exotic,
> from the surface of the human skin, to rainforest floors, to hydrothermal
> vents in the ocean floors.
>
> Despite the powerful and pervasive role of microbes in sustaining life, most
> of the microbial world remains a mystery. This is the subject of The
> Uncharted Microbial World: Microbes and Their Activities in the Environment,
> a new report released by the American Academy of Microbiology.
>
> The report is the result of a colloquium convened by the American Academy of
> Microbiology in February 2007. Researchers in microbiology, marine science,
> pathobiology, evolutionary biology, medicine, engineering, and other fields
> discussed ways to build on and extend recent successes in microbiology, and
> the report is a record of their discussions and recommendations.
>
> Microbes fulfill many functions that make life on Earth possible. They are ...