Soil science unearths a benefit from dirt

Many parents joke that by not keeping their home spotless, they help their kids develop stronger immune systems. It turns out, those parents might not be entirely wrong about the health benefits of dirt – or at least soil.
Numerous studies have shown that at least one specific bacterium in soil, mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae), has a positive impact on serotonin, a neurotransmitter connected to emotional wellbeing.
Dr. Pedro Antunes, a biology professor at Algoma University and Canada Res