Did you Know? List of Interesting Facts about Bacteria
Facts are statements which are held to be true and often contrasted with opinions and beliefs. Our unusual and interesting facts about Bacteria, trivia and information, including some useful statistics will fascinate everyone from kids and children to adults. Interesting Facts about Bacteria are as follows: - Fact 1 - Definition: Bacteria is a single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission
- Fact 2 - The term bacteria was devised in the 19th century by the German biologist Ferdinand Cohn (24 January 1828 – 25 June 1898) who based it on the Greek word 'bakterion' meaning a small rod or staff.
- Fact 3 - Ferdinand Cohn classified bacteria into four groups based on shape:
- Sphericals
- Short rods
- Threads
- Spirals
- Fact 4 - Ferdinand Cohn is considered to be the father of modern bacteriology
- Fact 5 - Some types of bacteria can cause diseases and become harmful to the environment whilst other types others offer benefits
- Fact 6 - Bacteria are everywhere - in the air, sky, on mountains, in oceans, in humans, animals and on everything we touch
- Fact 7 - Bacteria are minute, on average most species of bacteria have diameters of 0.5 to 2.0 microns
- Fact 8 - Some bacteria can move
- Fact 9 - Anywhere that dead and decaying matter is present is a good home for bacteria
- Fact 10 - Examples of bacteria include:
- Acidophilus, a normal inhabitant of yogurt
- Clostridium welchii the most common cause of gas gangrene
- E. coli - found in the lower intestine. E. coli can be a threat to food safety
- Streptococcus, the human mouth and gut. Can cause diseases including strep throat
- Chlamydia which causes a sexually transmitted infection
- Fact 11 - Bacteria have flourished on earth for over three billion years
- Fact 12 - Some types can attack plants, causing diseases like leaf spot and fireblight
- Fact 13 - The term “friendly bacteria” is used to describe the types of bacteria that offer some benefit
- Helps produce food
- Keeps soil fertile
- Helps us to digest food
- Inhibits the growth of potentially harmful bacteria
- Fact 14 - Friendly Bacteria: Bacteria in our digestive system help to convert milk protein into lactic acid and reducing the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Fact 15 - People have millions of bacteria living on the skin surface and on the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and bowels
- Fact 16 - Humans spread bacteria from the mouth and nose
- Fact 17 - The virulence of the bacteria: Virulence = the capability of bacteria to cause infection by production of bacterial poisons
- Fact 18 - MRSA was discovered in 1961 in the United Kingdom and is often referred to in the press as a "superbug"
- Fact 19 - MRSA infections are responsible for more deaths in the U.S. each year than AIDS
- Fact 20 - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek was the first person to observe bacteria using a microscope
- Fact 21 - Robert Koch was a pioneer in medical microbiology and worked on cholera, anthrax and tuberculosis
Facts about Bacteria
We have included a selection of trivia and interesting facts which we hope will be of help with homework. Most of these interesting facts about Bacteria are quite amazing and some are little known pieces of trivia! Many of these interesting and random pieces of information, facts and info will help you increase your knowledge on this subject. |
