04/29/2026
"The two-year study, led by Finland’s Natural Resources Institute, tracked around 75 children across "rewilded" and conventional daycare centers, analyzing microbes from skin, saliva, and faces, as well as immune markers in blood samples. Findings showed that children in biodiverse environments had fewer disease-associated bacteria, such as Streptococcus, on their skin, shifts in gut bacteria linked to inflammation, and increases in immune-regulating T cells within weeks. Researchers also reported stronger overall immune responses than in children in standard asphalt-and-plastic playgrounds."
The goal was to increase children's exposure to environmental microbes through everyday play.