Fermentation is a magical collaboration between people and bacteria. This bite-sized introduction describes the philosophical, avant-garde, and scientific natural history of fermentation as a process, concept, and way of life, rich with biological and cultural evolution, useful in health and nutrition, and practiced all over the world. The Studies in Nature series offers close observations, passionate research, and natural obsessions on a variety of nature-related topics. Featuring illustrations by Stacy Hsu and black and white photography, they offer big ideas in a small, giftable, and collectible package.