An ecologist reveals why the solution to the climate crisis lies in Earth’s oldest inhabitants: microbes.

Our planet is in crisis. Scorching temperatures, deadly fires and flooding, and food shortages—the signs are everywhere. Experts warn that the planet is careening toward a point of no return. Yet their solution—eliminating fossil fuels—may not stem the damage soon enough.

In The Age of Microbes Steven Allison argues there’s another way forward: microbes. These ubiquitous denizens of our biosphere are resilient to climate change and crucial to all life on Earth, making them ideal partners in the quest to repair the planet. From improved crop yields to sustainable jet fuel and healthier cities, Allison reveals how we can expand upon microbes’ natural ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere, clean up pollution, and restore ecosystems.

Weaving together lessons from Indigenous cultures and farmers, scientists and land stewards, The Age of Microbes is not just a blueprint for rescuing a planet in distress. It’s also a hopeful message that there’s still time to reverse course. But we mustn’t wait.

Steven D. Allison is Professor of Ecology at the University of California, Irvine. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is Editor-in-Chief of Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene and serves on the Sustainability Commission for the city of Irvine.