Behold the microscopic jungle in and around you: tiny organisms living on your cheeks, under your sofa and in the soil in your backyard. We have an adversarial relationship with these microbes -- we sanitize, exterminate and disinfect them -- but according to microbiologist Anne Madden, they're sources of new technologies and medicines waiting to be discovered. These microscopic alchemists aren't gross, Madden says -- they're the future.

Anne Madden: Meet the microscopic life in your home -- and on your face

Meet the microscopic life in your home -- and on your face

Discover a universe on your skin: every touch connects you with thousands of microbes, hinting at a world teeming with unseen life.

Our homes harbor over 600 species of insects and 100,000 bacterial and fungal varieties, each a potential solution to human challenges.

Microorganisms, from soil bacteria saving lives with antibiotics to wasp gut microbes brewing unique beers, are unlocking new technologies.