Some Bacteria Have Lived in the Human Gut Since Before We Were Human

August 3, 2016 • by Marc Airhart

New study suggests that evolution plays a larger role than previously known in people's intestinal-microbe makeup.

Illustration of green and purple microbes enlarged under a microscope

Some of the bacteria in our guts were passed down over millions of years, since before we were human, suggesting that evolution plays a larger role than previously known in people's intestinal-microbe makeup, according to a new study in the journal Science.

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Three birds are shown. On the left is a blue jay, which is primarily blue with some patches of white on wing tips, around the face and on the chest. On the right is a green jay, which is primarily green with a lighter colored chest and a mix of blue and black patches on the face. In the center is a hybrid bird, which is primarily blue and resembles a blue jay, but with a larger area of black on the face, more akin to a green jay.

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