When we think of the hallmarks of complex societies and civilization, we often attribute these features only to humans. However, nature is more interesting.
Most of us grow up learning that cheating is bad. We should not steal. We should not lie. And above all: we should not exploit the groups we are part of. Is cheating irrevocably bad?
A group of biologists and philosophers has recently coined the concepts of “holobiont” and “hologenome”. Holobiont refers to the ecological entity of a macrobial host plus the set of associated microorganisms that compose its microbiome.
I’ve been fascinated with life in the universe since I was a kid. Who hasn’t spent hours thinking of what else is out there, or if we’re alone, or where we come from?