The microbiome has long been studied, but advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are speeding up our understanding of the bacteria on, and inside, our bodies like never before.
Trillions of bacteria co-exist with humans across the body from gut to skin. Scientists have still only scratched the surface of this ecosystem and are learning what these bacteria do, how they interact with each other, and crucially, their effects on our bodies… and even our minds.
At the forefront of uncovering the mysteries of the microbiome is Unilever, which holds one of the world’s largest datasets on the human skin microbiome.
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From around the world, the business has collected 30,000 samples and over five billion data points across all major body sites, adding up to an astonishing 30 terabytes worth of data – roughly the same as 7,500 HD films, for context, or more than a year of non-stop Netflix streaming.
Microbiome research – and translating its findings into real world products – is a “real must-win opportunity” for Unilever, Jason Harcup, the business’s Beauty and Wellbeing Chief R&D Officer, tells Cosmetics Business.
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