Fun Facts about Bacteria
- Bacteria are believed to be the earliest life forms on Earth. They appeared 2 billion years before all other life forms.
- Bacteria are the most plentiful organisms on the planet. They lives inside Antarctic glaciers, on deserts, in clouds, deep in the ocean, miles below the surface of the earth and on, around and inside animals of all kinds.
- Bacteria are so tiny that they are invisible to the human eye.
- Bacteria are single celled organisms with no nucleus. They are able to trade genes with other bacteria through a process known as horizontal gene transfer. This gives them the ability to change shape and function, almost to become different species, depending on their environment.
- Bacteria live inside people and help boost immune systems, fight off invaders, and aid in the digestion of food.
- Life would be impossible without bacteria, yet bacteria are often described as germs and are falsely believed to be the primary cause of disease.
