--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humans don't need to evolve a gene that…" description: "\"“Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the carbohydrates in seaweed; if we swallow enough microbes that can digest these substances th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg" --- # Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the… ![“Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the carbohydrates in seaweed; if we swallow enough microbes that can digest these substances there's every chance that our own bacteria will 'learn' the trick through HGT.” quote by Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg) > ““Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the carbohydrates in seaweed; if we swallow enough microbes that can digest these substances there's every chance that our own bacteria will 'learn' the trick through HGT.”” [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Microbes can acquire new abilities through horizontal gene transfer, potentially reducing the need for human genetic changes. **In simple terms:** Microbes can learn new tricks. Key Takeaway Consider microbial solutions to nutrition. Themes science genetics innovation Mood curious optimistic Type scientific educational When to use this quote - research conferences - policy briefs - public health campaigns Key Concepts horizontal gene transfer microbiome seaweed digestion Questions to Reflect On - How could HGT affect human health? - What ethical concerns arise from altering microbiomes? A Different Perspective Microbial adaptation may have unforeseen ecological impacts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“The world around us is a gigantic reservoir of potential microbial partners. Every mouthful could bring in new microbes that digest a previously unbreakable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/the-world-around-us-is-a-gigantic-reservoir-of-potential-microbial/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [Accidents at power plants are bad enough. But a leak from a bioreactor could be worse, since bacteria can learn new tricks when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/accidents-at-power-plants-are-bad-enough-but-a-leak-from-a-bioreactor/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## More by Ed Yong > [“Drinking lots of alcohol makes the gut leakier, allowing microbes to more readily influence the brain. Could that help to explain why alcoholics often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/drinking-lots-of-alcohol-makes-the-gut-leakier-allowing-microbes-to/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“No, the algae were making something that killed the corals via their own microbes. That something turned out to be dissolved organic carbon (DOC);…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/no-the-algae-were-making-something-that-killed-the-corals-via-their/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Patterson died in 2014 but Mazmanian is now carrying on his friend's work. His long-term goal is to develop a bacterium that people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/patterson-died-in-2014-but-mazmanian-is-now-carrying-on-his-friend-s/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Mucus is made from giant molecules called mucins, each consisting of a central protein backbone with thousands of sugar molecules branching off it. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/mucus-is-made-from-giant-molecules-called-mucins-each-consisting-of-a/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“The Earth is 4.54 billion years old. A span of time that big is too mind-boggling to comprehend, so let’s collapse the planet’s entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/the-earth-is-4-54-billion-years-old-a-span-of-time-that-big-is-too/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Many of the plants that the spider mite targets can release hydrogen cyanide when their tissues are breached. This substance is extraordinarily inimical to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/many-of-the-plants-that-the-spider-mite-targets-can-release-hydrogen/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“When microbiologists first started cataloguing the human microbiome in its entirety they hoped to discover a "core" microbiome: a group of species that everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/when-microbiologists-first-started-cataloguing-the-human-microbiome/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Most animals can't tap into these open-source adaptations deliberately. The flies didn't seek out Spiroplasma to solve their worm problem. Woodrats didn't go looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/most-animals-can-t-tap-into-these-open-source-adaptations/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Howler monkeys all defecate at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/howler-monkeys-all-defecate-at-the-same-time/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“The variations that exist between the body parts dwarf those that exist between people. Put simply, the bacteria on your forearm are more similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/the-variations-that-exist-between-the-body-parts-dwarf-those-that/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“It earns its keep. As it digests HMOs, B. infantis releases short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that feed an infant's gut cells - so while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/it-earns-its-keep-as-it-digests-hmos-b-infantis-releases-short-chain/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“When Hamiltonella's genome was sequenced, the real reason behind the bacterium's protective powers became apparent: about half of its DNA actually belonged to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/when-hamiltonella-s-genome-was-sequenced-the-real-reason-behind-the/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“For one group of wasps, the braconids, transferred genes have enabled a bizarre form of pest control. The females of these wasps lay their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/for-one-group-of-wasps-the-braconids-transferred-genes-have-enabled-a/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“Our darkest fiction is full of Orwellian dystopias, shadowy cabals, and mind-controlling supervillains. But it turns out that the brainless, microscopic, single-celled organisms that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/our-darkest-fiction-is-full-of-orwellian-dystopias-shadowy-cabals-and/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“The world around us is a gigantic reservoir of potential microbial partners. Every mouthful could bring in new microbes that digest a previously unbreakable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/the-world-around-us-is-a-gigantic-reservoir-of-potential-microbial/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) [Explore all 46 Ed Yong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) ## More Microbes Digest quotes > [“The world around us is a gigantic reservoir of potential microbial partners. Every mouthful could bring in new microbes that digest a previously unbreakable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/the-world-around-us-is-a-gigantic-reservoir-of-potential-microbial/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) Browse all 2 Microbes Digest quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the carbohydrates in seaweed; if we swallow enough microbes that can digest these substances there's every chance that our own bacteria will 'learn' the trick through HGT.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed Yong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that-can-break-down-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Microbes Digest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that-can-break-down-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/ed-yong-14636_microbes-digest_humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that_2905939.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humans don't need to evolve a gene that can break down the carbohydrates in seaweed; if we swallow enough…” — Ed Yong", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ed Yong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Humans don't need to evolve a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that-can-break-down-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/humans-don-t-need-to-evolve-a-gene-that-can-break-down-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```