Alison Wood Brooks

You know, we often just think of blowing your nose, that's what mucus is, right? But really, it lines the nose, the mouth, the eyes, the lungs, the entire digestive tract, all told your body's making like a gallon of mucus a day, basically. And as for what it actually does, you probably think of it the way I was taught to think of it, as a filter.

Some pollen or some dust goes into your nose and mucus stops it. It turns out that could almost not be further from the truth. It does do that, but it also plays a ton of different roles. And in fact, probably the most important role it does is it's not about what it keeps out, it's about what it keeps in. So I'm sure you've heard of the microbiome, right?

Some pollen or some dust goes into your nose and mucus stops it. It turns out that could almost not be further from the truth. It does do that, but it also plays a ton of different roles. And in fact, probably the most important role it does is it's not about what it keeps out, it's about what it keeps in. So I'm sure you've heard of the microbiome, right?

Some pollen or some dust goes into your nose and mucus stops it. It turns out that could almost not be further from the truth. It does do that, but it also plays a ton of different roles. And in fact, probably the most important role it does is it's not about what it keeps out, it's about what it keeps in. So I'm sure you've heard of the microbiome, right?

This kind of collection of thousands of species of microbes that live on and in the human body. You know, they've got more cells than the body itself, more DNA than the body itself. And they take care of all these vital functions for you, right? They help to digest our food. They break down fiber and complex carbohydrates, things like that, producing energy for us.

This kind of collection of thousands of species of microbes that live on and in the human body. You know, they've got more cells than the body itself, more DNA than the body itself. And they take care of all these vital functions for you, right? They help to digest our food. They break down fiber and complex carbohydrates, things like that, producing energy for us.

This kind of collection of thousands of species of microbes that live on and in the human body. You know, they've got more cells than the body itself, more DNA than the body itself. And they take care of all these vital functions for you, right? They help to digest our food. They break down fiber and complex carbohydrates, things like that, producing energy for us.

They also discourage bad microbes. They stimulate the production of neurotransmitters. They help to regulate metabolism and hunger. Just this kind of really amazing suite of vital functions that these microbes provide. So what it turns out is that mucus is actually the soil that the microbiome grows in, right? This is where it lives. This is where it grows.

They also discourage bad microbes. They stimulate the production of neurotransmitters. They help to regulate metabolism and hunger. Just this kind of really amazing suite of vital functions that these microbes provide. So what it turns out is that mucus is actually the soil that the microbiome grows in, right? This is where it lives. This is where it grows.

They also discourage bad microbes. They stimulate the production of neurotransmitters. They help to regulate metabolism and hunger. Just this kind of really amazing suite of vital functions that these microbes provide. So what it turns out is that mucus is actually the soil that the microbiome grows in, right? This is where it lives. This is where it grows.

It is actually actively fed by your mucus, right? A single strand of mucus is basically like a long protein backbone studded with all these sugars. And those sugars are there to feed your microbiome. That's pretty wild, right?

It is actually actively fed by your mucus, right? A single strand of mucus is basically like a long protein backbone studded with all these sugars. And those sugars are there to feed your microbiome. That's pretty wild, right?

It is actually actively fed by your mucus, right? A single strand of mucus is basically like a long protein backbone studded with all these sugars. And those sugars are there to feed your microbiome. That's pretty wild, right?

So that's, again, part of its role is also... keeping stuff out. And one of the neat things it does is, let's say, any microbe, you know, a bacteria, it can look one way, but it can actually evolve depending on its circumstances, right? What mucus can also do is when it realizes that something is in your body that shouldn't be, it latches onto that and can carry it away.

So that's, again, part of its role is also... keeping stuff out. And one of the neat things it does is, let's say, any microbe, you know, a bacteria, it can look one way, but it can actually evolve depending on its circumstances, right? What mucus can also do is when it realizes that something is in your body that shouldn't be, it latches onto that and can carry it away.

So that's, again, part of its role is also... keeping stuff out. And one of the neat things it does is, let's say, any microbe, you know, a bacteria, it can look one way, but it can actually evolve depending on its circumstances, right? What mucus can also do is when it realizes that something is in your body that shouldn't be, it latches onto that and can carry it away.

And it turns out actually there are, we think of mucus as being one thing, there are 20, more than 20 different kinds of mucus. And each of these fulfill a different function. And one of those is to specifically attach to dangerous things that are in your body and take them out.

And it turns out actually there are, we think of mucus as being one thing, there are 20, more than 20 different kinds of mucus. And each of these fulfill a different function. And one of those is to specifically attach to dangerous things that are in your body and take them out.

And it turns out actually there are, we think of mucus as being one thing, there are 20, more than 20 different kinds of mucus. And each of these fulfill a different function. And one of those is to specifically attach to dangerous things that are in your body and take them out.

Well, it's doing a lot of different things. You know, it really depends on what the material is. You know, for instance, like an environmental contaminant, say dust, right? There it's a very simple process of just we're going to increase the flow and wash this stuff away. But with a, you know, a different material like a microbe, then it can be a much more complicated process.