Emerging research reveals key roles of gut bacteria in environmental and clinical contexts. Certain human gut strains have been identified to accumulate and remove PFAS ‘forever chemicals,’ offering hope against these persistent pollutants. Concurrently, advanced AI frameworks such as VBayesMM are revolutionizing analysis of gut bacteria metabolites interactions. Furthermore, insights into bacterial mechanisms behind Lyme disease reveal exploitation of tick cholesterol pathways, opening avenues for novel vector-borne disease control.