This document provides an overview of research on the human microbiome and the American Gut project. It includes summaries of several scientific studies that examined the microbiome in infants and its role in health conditions like diabetes. It also describes the methods and collaborators involved in the American Gut project, which aims to characterize individual microbiomes through citizen science. Videos and interactive data visualization tools related to microbiome research are referenced. Variability in sample handling and analysis methods across studies is discussed.