                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2019 August 18

                             Human as Spaceship
    Space Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble, and J. Maiz- Apellániz (IAA);
                       Acknowledgement: D. De Martin;
      Human Image Copyright: Charis Tsevis; Composition: R. J. Nemiroff

   Explanation: You are a spaceship soaring through the universe. So is
   your dog. We all carry with us trillions of microorganisms as we go
   through life. These multitudes of bacteria, fungi, and archaea have
   different DNA than you. Collectively called your microbiome, your
   shipmates outnumber your own cells. Your crew members form communities,
   help digest food, engage in battles against intruders, and sometimes
   commute on a liquid superhighway from one end of your body to the
   other. Much of what your microbiome does, however, remains unknown. You
   are the captain, but being nice to your crew may allow you to explore
   more of your local cosmos.

                     Tomorrow's picture: volcanic clouds
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

