I spotted an Emoji Poo Waffle Maker on the arcade prize wall and instantly made it my mission to win it. The ticket cost was ridiculous, the jackpots were brutal, and every game felt like a gamble.

As Mathilde Poyet ushers me through the Global Microbiome Conservancy’s laboratory in Kiel, Germany, I’m met with all sorts of state-of-the-art equipment. It’s an impressive facility, with typical lab ...

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