Bacteria began life on our planet. Scientists believe that everything will end with them. There is a joke that when the aliens studied the Earth, they could not understand who its real owner is - a person or a bacillus. The most interesting facts about bacteria are selected below.
What is a bacterium?
A bacterium is a separate organism that consists of one cell and multiplies by division. The more favorable the habitat, the sooner it shares. These microorganisms live in all living things, as well as in water, food, in rotten trees, in plants.
The list is not limited to this. Bacilli perfectly survive on objects that people touch. For example, on a handrail in public transport, on the handle of a refrigerator, on the tip of a pencil. Interesting facts about bacteria recently discovered by American scientists from the University of Arizona. According to their observations, "sleeping" microorganisms live on Mars. Scientists are sure that this is one of the proofs of the existence of life on other planets, in addition, in their opinion, alien bacteria can be "revived" on Earth.
For the first time, the Dutch scientist Anthony van Levenguk examined the microorganism in an optical microscope at the end of the 17th century. Currently, there are about two thousand known species of bacilli. All of them can be divided into:
At the same time, the harmful usually fight with the useful and neutral. This is one of the most private reasons why a person is sick.
The most curious facts
Microorganisms study, find their application, and also learn to deal with harmful parasites. During the research, scientists discovered interesting facts about bacteria:
- 5 nonillion microorganisms live on Earth (5 * 10 in the thirteenth). This is several times greater than the number of people and animals on the planet.
- Bacillus and bacteria are synonyms that come from different languages. Bacterium is the Greek word, bacillus is Latin.
- Bacteria smell.
- Snowflakes and frost on plants are formed using a special bacillus.
- Frozen ancient bacteria can be revived.
- The largest bacterium can be seen without a microscope. This is a Namibian sulfur pearl, it reaches a size of 0.75 millimeters.
- The human mouth contains 40 thousand parasites. With a kiss, 30 thousand of them are transmitted. 5% of this number can lead to illness.
- There is a bacterium that “eats” trinitrotoluene. With the help of it, scientists want to solve the issue of mine clearance.
- The Japanese have bacteria in their gut that help them digest all known seafood.
- More parasites live on the cell phone case than under the rim of the toilet.
In general, unicellular organisms are involved in all life processes.
Bacteria and people
From birth, a person enters a world full of various microorganisms. Some help him survive, others cause infections and illnesses.
The most curious interesting facts about bacteria and people:
- For several thousand years, people have been using lactic acid bacteria in their interests. With their help, cheese, kefir, all kinds of yogurt and even vinegar are made.
- In male groups of microorganisms are more and they multiply faster.
- “Knock down” the heat and stop the growth of bacteria can ring the bell. It uniquely affects the human brain, the connection between the host DNA and the parasite is terminated.
- Doctors of the 21st century have proved that the reserve of beneficial bacteria is in appendicitis. It turns out that the body, which was so neglected in the last century, helps the body to develop immunity.
- Some bacteria can kill the pathogenic flora in the mouth and fight tooth decay. While they live only in the jaws of crocodiles, however, scientists plan in the near future to cross these microorganisms with bifidobacteria. Probably brushing your teeth in the morning can replace yogurt.
- The human body contains about 2 kilograms of bacteria. Most of them live in the intestines.
It turns out that the bacillus can both completely cure a person and destroy our species. Biological weapons and bacterial toxins already exist.
How did bacteria help us survive?
Here are some more interesting facts about bacteria that benefit a person:
- some types of bacilli protect a person from allergies;
- Using bacteria, you can dispose of hazardous waste (e.g. oil products);
- without microorganisms in the intestine, a person would not have survived.
It turns out that this is not all interesting facts about bacteria and humans. Scientists believe that it was these microorganisms that helped the species Homo sapiens survive. These tiny parasites literally created people their immune system. When Homo sapiens left the continent, he took with him viruses and bacteria. Neanderthals, in turn, did not have immunity to parasites, so they were not able to survive in the process of evolution. Scientists are sure that even without clashes with modern people, Neanderthals would die out of disease.
How to tell kids about bacilli?
Kids are ready to talk about bacilli already in 3-4 years. To properly convey the information, it is worth telling interesting facts about bacteria. For children, for example, it is very important to understand that there are evil and good microbes. That the good ones can turn milk into fermented baked milk. And also, that they help the stomach to digest food.
Attention should be paid to evil bacteria. Say that they are very small, so they are not visible. That, getting into the human body, microbes quickly become many, and they begin to eat us from the inside.
A child must know that an evil microbe does not enter the body:
- Wash hands after the street and before eating.
- Do not eat a lot of sweets.
- Get vaccinated.
It is best to show bacteria using pictures and encyclopedias.
What should every student know?
With an older child, it’s better not to talk about microbes, but to talk about bacteria. Interesting facts for students are important to argue. That is, talking about the importance of hand washing, we can tell you that 340 colonies of harmful bacilli live on the toilet handles.
Together you can find information about which bacteria cause tooth decay. And also to tell the student that chocolate in a small amount has an antibacterial effect.
Even a junior student will be able to understand what a vaccine is. This is when a small amount of virus or bacteria is introduced into the body, and their immune system defeats them. Therefore, it is so important to vaccinate.
From childhood, an understanding should come that the country of bacteria is a whole, not yet fully understood, world. And while there are these microorganisms, there is the human species itself.