Misconception Corrected, Scale

It's a common misconception that human cells are vastly outnumbered by microbial cells in the body; recent estimates suggest the ratio is closer to 1:1, with approximately 30 trillion human cells and 39 trillion bacterial cells.

Discoverer / Person
Ron Sender, Shai Fuchs, Ron Milo
Year Discovered
2016
Field
Microbiology, Human Biology
Evidence Quality
Well-Documented

Why It Matters

This revised understanding corrects a widely cited misconception, indicating a more balanced numerical relationship between human and microbial cells in the body.

Source Consensus

1 sources agreed

More Misconception Corrected, Scale Facts

About 90% of the cells in the human body are microbial, consisting of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, mostly residing in the gut, rather than human cells.