Astonishing- what we have learned, and what we don’t yet know! Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian tradition - I have always loved this day as an earthy reminder of our humanity, and our impermanence. From ashes we come, to ashes we return. Or, as one of my teachers said, from stardust we come, to stardust we return. So I’m grateful for stardust.
I love that: from stardust we come, to stardust we return! We and the bacteria that are part of stardust.... BTW, bacteriologists say we have only identified about 20 percent of the bacterial species in existence, and there is almost as much biomass of bacteria on earth (in microscopic form) as plants. That's a whale of a lot of bacteria....
Maybe next year I will go with remember that thou art bacteria and see how it goes. Pair it with the Matthew 6 reading, "Do not store your treasures on earth where bacteria will break it down," and Psalm 51, "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord."
Happy Valentine's Day, dear Susan. I am grateful for your friendship and for your amazing ability to share your gifts with others. This astonishing piece about the intricate relationship between bacteria and plants and weather provides a whole new outlook for us to consider the many fascinating ways this planet works. As a non-scientist, my head is spinning right now -- and I mean that in a good way!
Happy Valentine's Day, Liz! I am grateful to my friend David Lukas and his newsletter for opening my eyes to that particular biofeedback loop--who knew? I am still pondering all of the implications. :)
Thanks! One of my favorite parts of this writing is getting to discover new aspects of what I thought was familiar, like the feedback loop with bacteria, precipitation and plants. I'll never look at frost on a plant leaf the same away again. And whenever I taste the first flakes of snow in a winter storm, I'll wonder how much bacteria I am ingesting.... ;)
How cool. Love learning new stuff. Lukas offered great insights. One of my favorite bacteria story is when the Dalai Lama was getting professors to teach monks & nuns.
One of their key questions was "Are they - vbacteria- sentient beings." After signicant fascinating conversation, most concluded that yes, they were. One wonders how things might have been different in the west if the early scientists had had reverence for this life form rather than the "ick, disease causing" mentality that still tends to prevail today. And which you did a wonderful job of putting into perspective. Thanks.
Great story! I will say though that the whole question of "sentience" annoys me. If we didn't draw lines between "us" and "them," we'd be a whole lot better at being human and welcoming those who are different into the great tent of all life.
As for early scientists, way back in the days of the first microscopes, the attitude was of sheer wonder at these tiny beings, invisible to the unaided eye. It's only when the human population grew so much that disease transmission became such a huge issue in cities and other crowded places, and the bacteria that caused TB and other deadly diseases were identified that the "ick" factor kicked in. That was mostly in the 20th century.
I’m grateful for you and the wonderful articles you write.
And as per Ash Wednesday, I’m giving up my ego for lent. Not my idea. A recommendation from a spiritual teacher. I liked that. Grateful for you, Susan, and bacteria.
That's an interesting and challenging thing to give up. I'll be interested to see how it goes. Not that I doubt you can do it, mind you. It's just a subtle thing to be aware of!
A wonderful part of learning is the lessening of the ick factor..I was fascinated and won over the first time I read about how compost is formed! This week I soaked in the hot mineral springs in Thermopolis, a practise I try to do every week. Every time I am grateful for the warmth and healing those beautiful waters bring me..and there, too, bacteria are at work forming the signature colors and smell. I bring jugs home to drink and share with my houseplants. What riches.
Hot springs are magical, and bacteria are definitely part of the magic. Those sulfur-eating bacteria are turning hydrogen-sulfide into electrical energy, a very cool thing to do. I love that the bacteria that thrive in the hottest of hot springs water, right around the heat vents, are called thermophiles, "heat-lovers." Maybe you're a thermophile!
Bill is reading aloud to me pages of I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life. Wonderful book by Ed Yong--so I was ready to read and appreciate your microscopic view of our world. Love the voice you've brought us here, Susan. ("Holy Toledo! That is some intricate interrelating!")
Isn't Ed Yong's book amazing? And what lovely serendipity that Bill is reading it to you now, just as I'm feeling grateful for bacteria. ;) And thanks for the compliment--I'm enjoying being able to let that voice out.
Astonishing- what we have learned, and what we don’t yet know! Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian tradition - I have always loved this day as an earthy reminder of our humanity, and our impermanence. From ashes we come, to ashes we return. Or, as one of my teachers said, from stardust we come, to stardust we return. So I’m grateful for stardust.
I love that: from stardust we come, to stardust we return! We and the bacteria that are part of stardust.... BTW, bacteriologists say we have only identified about 20 percent of the bacterial species in existence, and there is almost as much biomass of bacteria on earth (in microscopic form) as plants. That's a whale of a lot of bacteria....
This all makes me grin - there is so much LIFE
Yes, that's the wonder of at all. Life in its evolving glory, creation creating itself. (Themselves?)
Maybe next year I will go with remember that thou art bacteria and see how it goes. Pair it with the Matthew 6 reading, "Do not store your treasures on earth where bacteria will break it down," and Psalm 51, "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord."
I like it!
I think that could be a very interesting homily, Todd!
I had no idea! Fascinating.
Isn't it cool! Bacteria are us, literally. :)
SO cool.
Loved this, Susan!
Mil gracias, Marlena! I had fun with it, as you can tell. :)
Happy Valentine's Day, dear Susan. I am grateful for your friendship and for your amazing ability to share your gifts with others. This astonishing piece about the intricate relationship between bacteria and plants and weather provides a whole new outlook for us to consider the many fascinating ways this planet works. As a non-scientist, my head is spinning right now -- and I mean that in a good way!
Happy Valentine's Day, Liz! I am grateful to my friend David Lukas and his newsletter for opening my eyes to that particular biofeedback loop--who knew? I am still pondering all of the implications. :)
I’ve read lots of pieces about why humans need gut bacteria. True to form, you look at bacteria through a wider lens.
Thanks! One of my favorite parts of this writing is getting to discover new aspects of what I thought was familiar, like the feedback loop with bacteria, precipitation and plants. I'll never look at frost on a plant leaf the same away again. And whenever I taste the first flakes of snow in a winter storm, I'll wonder how much bacteria I am ingesting.... ;)
How cool. Love learning new stuff. Lukas offered great insights. One of my favorite bacteria story is when the Dalai Lama was getting professors to teach monks & nuns.
One of their key questions was "Are they - vbacteria- sentient beings." After signicant fascinating conversation, most concluded that yes, they were. One wonders how things might have been different in the west if the early scientists had had reverence for this life form rather than the "ick, disease causing" mentality that still tends to prevail today. And which you did a wonderful job of putting into perspective. Thanks.
Great story! I will say though that the whole question of "sentience" annoys me. If we didn't draw lines between "us" and "them," we'd be a whole lot better at being human and welcoming those who are different into the great tent of all life.
As for early scientists, way back in the days of the first microscopes, the attitude was of sheer wonder at these tiny beings, invisible to the unaided eye. It's only when the human population grew so much that disease transmission became such a huge issue in cities and other crowded places, and the bacteria that caused TB and other deadly diseases were identified that the "ick" factor kicked in. That was mostly in the 20th century.
I’m grateful for you and the wonderful articles you write.
And as per Ash Wednesday, I’m giving up my ego for lent. Not my idea. A recommendation from a spiritual teacher. I liked that. Grateful for you, Susan, and bacteria.
That's an interesting and challenging thing to give up. I'll be interested to see how it goes. Not that I doubt you can do it, mind you. It's just a subtle thing to be aware of!
Wonderful. Thank you Susan for great information and a new perspective 😀
Thank you for reading, Diana!
I must say, this was a sort of "who'd a thunk?!" writing!! Thanks for this info.
That was part of the fun of it! And you're welcome. :)
A wonderful part of learning is the lessening of the ick factor..I was fascinated and won over the first time I read about how compost is formed! This week I soaked in the hot mineral springs in Thermopolis, a practise I try to do every week. Every time I am grateful for the warmth and healing those beautiful waters bring me..and there, too, bacteria are at work forming the signature colors and smell. I bring jugs home to drink and share with my houseplants. What riches.
Hot springs are magical, and bacteria are definitely part of the magic. Those sulfur-eating bacteria are turning hydrogen-sulfide into electrical energy, a very cool thing to do. I love that the bacteria that thrive in the hottest of hot springs water, right around the heat vents, are called thermophiles, "heat-lovers." Maybe you're a thermophile!
Thanks for sharing fascinating stories I don’t know about:) And I’m a microbiologist!
I'm delighted that I could add to your treasure-trove of information about microbiology, Monica!
Just wow.
Pretty cool, aren't they? Powerful little beings, bacteria are. :)
Bill is reading aloud to me pages of I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life. Wonderful book by Ed Yong--so I was ready to read and appreciate your microscopic view of our world. Love the voice you've brought us here, Susan. ("Holy Toledo! That is some intricate interrelating!")
Isn't Ed Yong's book amazing? And what lovely serendipity that Bill is reading it to you now, just as I'm feeling grateful for bacteria. ;) And thanks for the compliment--I'm enjoying being able to let that voice out.