You may not have met one in person, but microbes are everywhere! They’re on us, in us and around us.
And so you can get familiar with some microbes, here’s what they look like down the microscope…
| Measles virus – This is a ‘bad’ microbe that was identified in 1954. It causes the measles disease and is very contagious. Whenever someone with the disease coughs or sneezes, the microbe is chucked into the air for others to breathe. |
| Pyrocystis lunula – This is a ‘good’ microbe that mainly lives in the sea. It converts light energy and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen. This process is called Photosynthesis. |
| ย | ย Aspergillus flavus – This is a ‘bad’ fungi micro-organism that was discovered in 1809. It can cause a nasty infection in the lungs, and occasionally other parts of the body, called aspergillosis. |
| ย | Tuber – This is a ‘good’ microbe and is more commonly known as a truffle. It’s a rare fungus that grows mostly in Europe and is located by using special ‘truffle hunting’ pigs. |
| ย | Bacillus thuringiensis – This is a ‘good’ microbe that was discovered in 1901 in Japan. It is used in the fight against Malaria. |
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