As human beings move into more urban spaces, with less vegetation, even less soil to come into contact with, we have less contact with complex biodiverse microbial life. Which means, our immunse systems have LESS PRACTICE encountering, picking up random life and saying “the fuck is this?” whether it puts it back down after tasting it, saying ‘yuck!’ or carrying it around on our shoulder as a little pal that makes us happy. Yes, these interactions, much (exactly?) like meeting different people and situations in our lives of strange and fresh beats and angles, TRAIN our systems HOW to be strong. As this piece from Wired Magazine tells the tale, a scientific experiment whereby some kiddos playgrounds were transformed from asphalt and concrete monstrosities to soil sodden greenery – proves this very clearly. The practice of meeting the challenges of strangeness HELPS kids be stronger, have better functioning immune systems, and be less likely to have dangerous abnormal immune system malfunction later. Which may be the case (and even the malfunctioning, caring intention) when they are cooped up in high rise apartments and driven in air conditioned vehicles through their precious bubble lives.

The science is very clear:

CLEAN KIDS GET SICK AND DIE!

READ THE PIECE IN WIRED MAGAZINE:

What Forest Floor Playgrounds Teach Us About Kids and Germs

Finnish researchers just published the first big test of the “biodiversity hypothesis”—that exposure to the microbes in dirt is good for young immune systems.