As Subway Commuters Mingle, Their Microbes Do Too

Microbes are all around us and in us and especially on us. Our skin can be both a barrier between our bodies and the microbes in our environment and a way in. Once microbes find their way onto our hands, they're a step closer to getting inside us through our eyes, mouths, and noses. Don't despair. A diverse ecosystem of bacteria calls our skin and bodies home without causing us any harm at all. But some microbes do spread disease, so researchers are interested in better understanding how