My field of study is microbiology. I believe Microbiology will turn science fiction into science fact in the near future. Let’s eavesdrop on a student’s log from the future! Please step into my time-travel machine and let’s set the vortex to 2123! Student Log Holographic History class May 10, 2123 Today, during Holographic History class, I holo-witnessed how the early 2000’s was an alarming time. Humanity was perched at the edge of catastrophe. The environment and climate were rapidly deteriorating. Energy sources were unsustainable and polluting, and global health issues were quickly becoming uncontrollable. Nearly all harmful bacteria had developed a resistance to antibiotics, and previously curable diseases were suddenly becoming lethal once again. But in the midst of this crisis, a young group of scientists and interdisciplinary microbiologists brought forth amazing discoveries and, most importantly, a new mindset. It was within the invisible, microscopic world that they unraveled the secrets that have kept our oceans healthy, our energy abundant, and humanity living longer, more fruitful years. Microbes were used for the production of energy, and for the recovery of the contaminated areas of the planet. Microorganisms were trained to generate fuels, including ethanol, methane, and lipids that are now used for energy sources. These researchers discovered microscopic creatures called extremophiles capable of breaking down toxic metals and plastics, for bioremediation of the wastefields that had accumulated across the planet. Microbes were given the ability to sequester carbon and dismantle the phenols and carcinogens that poisoned our water sources; and microalgae were used to purify the water. These inspired collective of interdisciplinary microbiologists brought a radical new approach to scientific research, and their worldview extended to other areas of thought. This is best exemplified by the methods they used to overcome the antibiotic resistance health crisis. In the 2020s, nearly all harmful bacteria had developed a resistance to antibiotics. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that the most imminent global threat to humanity was the continuous increase in antibiotic-resistant infections, estimating that by 2050, ten million deaths per year would be caused by resistant bacteria, surpassing all predicted cancer and diabetes deaths combined. This crisis was averted through the development of an elegant, nontraditional solution. Instead of using the old method of attempting total extermination of bacteria (this was so 2020!), microbiologists created a system to modulate and communicate with bacterial populations through quorum sensing. These scientists demonstrated that environmental and human health are closely intertwined. They inspired a fundamental mindset shift towards a more equitable and sustainable world that prioritizes social and environmental health. They spearheaded the belief that scientific discoveries must benefit all humans and that all progress must respect the rights of the Earth as an ecosystem. This group of scientists, unlike their predecessors, are known for their admiration and respect towards all microscopic life forms, and by extension, towards all living forms. Among their many inventions, perhaps one of the finest was modeled after a microscopic bearlike species known as the tardigrade, a creature able to survive the pressure of the deepest oceans and the radiation and vacuum of outer space. By isolating and adapting the tardigrade’s damage suppressor proteins (Dsup) they discovered a method to protect humans from solar and space radiation, allowing for radiation-free space travel -and also very good sunscreen! We now use Dsup-9 for health and in the research stations on Mars and on moon Ganymede. It is the spring of 2123, and we look back to history with gratitude, and we also look forward, and beyond, with excitement.