In preparation for our class on “Music & Microbes” with David Kong on February 24, please read the following articles. (David is aware that several of these papers are quite technical, so it’s perfectly fine if you don’t grasp everything after a first read. In his lecture, David will be sure to present all of the key information, using metaphor to explain any technical concepts, without jargon.)
“Some of My Best Friends Are Germs,” by Michael Pollan – A good, non-technical overview and introduction to the world of the human microbiota.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/magazine/say-hello-to-the-100-trillion-bacteria-that-make-up-
“Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior,” by John F. Cryan and Timothy G. Dinan.
A technical overview of some of the latest researching linking gut microbes to the brain and cognition.
http://web.media.mit.edu/~tod/media/pdfs/Mind-altering-Microorganisms.pdf
“Recent Progress in Engineering Human-Associated Microbiomes,” by Stephanie J. Yaung, et al.
A technical, but readable, overview of some of the latest technologies for engineering the human microbiome.
http://web.media.mit.edu/~tod/media/pdfs/Human-Associated-Microbiomes.pdf
“The Sync Project” Blog. Articles on music as a precision therapy.
http://syncproject.co/blog/
Dirty Beats: Music Generated from Bacteria.
http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/dirty-beats-hear-music-generated-from-bacteria
