Jack
Brenton
AshishThe Truth About Bacteria
May 19th 2010 06:56
Bacteria are a few micrometres in length and come in a wide range of shapes. Bacteria thrive in every habitat on Earth, growing in soil, acidic hot springs, radioactive waste, water, and deep in the Earth's crust, as well as in organic matter and the live bodies of plants and animals. There are typically 40 million bacterial cells in a gram of soil and a million bacterial cells in a millilitre of fresh water.
Bacteria are vital for the survival of life on earth especially in the recycling of nutrients.
In humans there are large numbers of bacteria on the skin and gut.
The vast majority of the bacteria in the body are rendered harmless by the protective effects of the immune system, and a few are beneficial. However, a few species of bacteria which can cause infectious diseases, including cholera, syphilis, anthrax, leprosy and bubonic plague. In developed countries, antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and in agriculture, so antibiotic resistance is becoming common. In industry, bacteria are important in sewage treatment, the production of cheese and yoghurt through fermentation, as well as in biotechnology, and the manufacture of antibiotics and other chemicals.
The infographic below lays down the facts on bacteria that humans encounter everyday including where most of them are hiding. The results might surprise you!
*Infographic source.
*This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article for Bacteria
Bacteria are vital for the survival of life on earth especially in the recycling of nutrients.
In humans there are large numbers of bacteria on the skin and gut.
The vast majority of the bacteria in the body are rendered harmless by the protective effects of the immune system, and a few are beneficial. However, a few species of bacteria which can cause infectious diseases, including cholera, syphilis, anthrax, leprosy and bubonic plague. In developed countries, antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and in agriculture, so antibiotic resistance is becoming common. In industry, bacteria are important in sewage treatment, the production of cheese and yoghurt through fermentation, as well as in biotechnology, and the manufacture of antibiotics and other chemicals.
The infographic below lays down the facts on bacteria that humans encounter everyday including where most of them are hiding. The results might surprise you!
Click to enlarge in a new window.
*Infographic source.
*This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article for Bacteria
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