Name: Can we domesticate germs?
Uploaded: 2008-05-07T01:00:00Z
Duration: 17 min 32 s
Description: Evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald drags us into the sewer to discuss germs. Why are some more harmful than others? How could we make the harmful ones benign? Searching for answers, he examines a disgusting, fascinating case: diarrhea.

Evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald drags us into the sewer to discuss germs. Why are some more harmful than others? How could we make the harmful ones benign? Searching for answers, he examines a disgusting, fascinating case: diarrhea.

Can we domesticate germs?

Germs evolve based on how they spread, and waterborne diseases like cholera become more deadly when they don't need healthy hosts to transmit. In Chile, after blocking waterborne transmission, cholera strains evolved to become far less toxic within just a few years. This shift not only reduced deaths but also prevented the rise of antibiotic resistance. Simple public health measures can nudge pathogens to become less harmful over time.