Microcosm : E. coli and the new science of life

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life is a 2008 book by science writer Carl Zimmer. The book presents an overview of genetics research and genetic engineering by telling the story about the Escherichia coli (E. coli) species of bacteria which is omnipresent in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The title Microcosm refers to the notion that insights derived from the study of a relatively simple, single-celled organism like E. coli play in describing the fundamental features of all terrestrial life, including humans.