When Hong Kong commuters take the subway, their microbes mix — and spread

Humans aren't the only commuters making use of the metro. A new study that examined the microbiome of the Hong Kong subway system found distinct bacterial "fingerprints" in each line during the morning - distinctions that blurred over the course of the afternoon.

The findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, are part of a growing body of work that could have implications for a host of efforts, from managing the spread of disease to designing city infrastructure.

The microbiomes within us and around us are critical to understanding human health. The microbes in our guts aid in digestion; those on our skin may help keep it healthy and balanced. We pick up microbes from our