The Aerobiome: An Invisible Ecosystem – Smithsonian Associate Carl Zimmer
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series
🚨 The Air Is Alive: Carl Zimmer on Airborne and the Invisible Life We Breathe
How often do you stop and think about the air you’re breathing? 🌬️
Most of us take it for granted. But in our newest episode of The Not Old Better Show (Smithsonian Associates series), bestselling author and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer explains why we shouldn’t.
Zimmer’s new book, Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, uncovers the aerobiome—an invisible ecosystem made up of 🦠 bacteria, 🍃 fungi, 🧬 viruses, and pollen, swirling through every breath we take.
🎧 Why This Episode Matters — Especially for 50+ Listeners
Aging well doesn’t just mean eating right or staying active. It means understanding the environment we live in—and breathe in. With each inhale, we interact with a world of microorganisms that can affect our immunity, our cognition, and even how we age.
Carl takes us on a journey from ancient miasma theories 🏛️ to the forgotten scientists who proved that diseases like tuberculosis and COVID-19 are truly airborne 💨.
He shares why public health messaging failed so many early in the pandemic—and what we can learn from history to prevent it from happening again.
💡 Practical Takeaways From the Episode:
✅ Use a carbon dioxide monitor to check indoor ventilation
✅ Open windows and stay in well-ventilated spaces when possible
✅ Understand the connection between air pollution and long-term health risks 🫁
✅ Learn how wildfire smoke 🌲🔥 carries microbes hundreds of miles
✅ Discover why climate change is shifting the microbial balance in our air
🧪 A Story of Wonder, Science & Forgotten Heroes
You’ll also meet unsung pioneers like William and Mildred Wells, who discovered how diseases spread through droplets in the air—and were ignored for decades.
Or Fred Meier, a USDA “spore hunter” who flew in open-cockpit planes with Petri dishes to collect invisible life over 18,000 feet above Washington, D.C. ✈️Zimmer weaves their stories with modern science and a healthy dose of curiosity and wonder ✨—making this episode as moving as it is mind-expanding.
👂 Who Should Tune In?
👵 Older adults curious about their health
👨👩👧 Families thinking about indoor safety
👨🔬 Scientists, public health professionals, and lifelong learners
📚 Anyone who loves science that’s grounded in storytelling and meaning
🎙️ Listen to the full Smithsonian Associates episode here:
🔗 https://notold-better.com
📖 Airborne by Carl Zimmer is available wherever books are sold.
Let’s breathe smarter. Let’s learn together. 💨🌍🧠
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