Our evolving relationship with microbes

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which causes MERS, is one of the microbes that has sparked research controversy.
Courtesy NIAID | CDC

Microbes live both in and around us, but our relationship with the microbial world is complicated, changing and sometimes fraught.

This week, three University of Minnesota experts will gather to talk about what we know, and what we don't know, about the microbial world and the role it plays in our health and our environment.

Their talk is called, "It's Complicated: Our evolving relationship with the microbial world in and around us," and it's part of a series the university is calling, "The Petri Dish."

The three speakers joined MPR News host Tom Weber in studio for a conversation.

To hear the full conversation, click the play button above.

Guests

Dan Knights, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the BioTechnology Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Michael Sadowsky, professor in the Department of Soil, Water & Climate, and Director of the BioTechnology Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Cara Santelli, assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, and a member of the BioTechnology Institute at UMN.