Microbiology explores the world of microbes or micro-organisms. It reveals a hidden dimension of unseen forces shaping health, environment, industry and processes of creation and decay. Without this invisible army, life would cease to exist.
What are Microbes?
Microbes, or microorganisms, are tiny, usually single celled organisms visible only under a microscope. They encompass a diverse range of life forms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.
Microorganisms are theorized to exist long before they're actually found. The presence of invisible microbiological life is suggested by Jainism, rooted in the teachings of Mahavira (599 - 527 BCE India).
Types of Microbes and Their Habitats
Bacteria: These single-celled organisms can thrive in nearly every environment on Earth, from extreme heat to the cold depths of the ocean. They're integral to processes such as decomposition, nitrogen fixation, and human digestion.
Archaea: Similar to bacteria but genetically distinct, archaea often live in extreme environments, such as hot springs or salt lakes. They are vital for biogeochemical cycles in extreme conditions.
Fungi: These organisms can be unicellular, like yeast, or multicellular, like mold and mushrooms. Fungi are primarily decomposers, recycling nutrients in ecosystems, and are used in industries such as food and pharmaceuticals.
Protozoa: These single-celled eukaryotes can be found in water and soil. Some protozoa are harmless, while others can cause diseases, such as malaria.
Viruses: Though it's debated in some circles, viruses are often classified as microbes. They are not considered alive alone and require a host to reproduce. Viruses can infect all forms of life, from bacteria to humans.
Facts About Microbes
Microbial Diversity: There are approximately 5 nonillion (5 x 10^30) microbes on Earth, outnumbering humans by a factor of 300 trillion.
Human Microbiome: The human body is home to approximately 100 trillion microbes, primarily in the gut, which play essential roles in digestion and immune function.
Biotechnology: Many modern biotechnologies, including antibiotics and synthetic insulin, depend on our understanding of microbes.
Photosynthesis: Cyanobacteria, a type of blue-green algae, are responsible for producing oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, which is essential for life on Earth.
Pathogens: While many microbes are beneficial, some are pathogenic—capable of causing diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Notable examples include E. coli, influenza viruses, and Plasmodium, the cause of malaria.
History of Microbiology
Mahavira asserts the existence of unseen microbiological creatures living in earth, water, air and fire. Jain scriptures describe nigodas, sub-microscopic creatures living in large clusters and having a very short life.
Greek philosopher Democritus (c. 400 BCE) introduces atomic theory and suggests unseen particles make up matter. The philosophers speculate on the existence of invisible creatures, but there is no scientific evidence or tool available to identify or isolate them.
They are said to pervade every part of the universe, even in tissues of plants and flesh of animals. The Roman Marcus Terentius Varro (116–27 BCE) references microbes when he warns against building a homestead in the vicinity of swamps:
"... because there are bred certain minute creatures which cannot be seen by the eyes, which float in the air and enter the body through the mouth and nose and thereby cause serious diseases."
Of course he means malaria, a dreadful disease caused by protozoan parasite Plasmodium. A single-celled microbe, it attacks the red blood cells to cause flu-like symptoms from misery to dysentery to death.
Later Romans deduce "swamp vapors" are to blame for sickness. Emperor Nero (37-68) drains the swamps around Rome to curb the rampant spread of disease.
In his book The Canon of Medicine, Avicenna (980-1037) along with Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) and Al-Razi, Persian scientists, put forward the idea of the existence of microorganisms. Ibn Zuhr discovers scabies mites. Al-Razi provides the earliest known description of smallpox.
The tenth-century Taoist Baoshengjing mentions "countless micro organic worms" resembling vegetable seeds. This prompts leading Dutch sinologist Kristofer Schipper to suggest the Chinese at the time are aware of harmful bacteria.
Before the microscope, people rely on observations such as the nature of fermentation and decay. For instance, they note food spoilage can cause changes and diseases, but they cannot visually identify the tiny agents behind these phenomena.
Often pathogens, crop disease and human illness finds a cause in evil elves, who are known to cause such afflictions either from malicious intent or working for a malevolent witch. Folk medicine and practices form through the observations, but scientific validation remains elusive.
Paracelsus (1493 - 1541) identifies syphilis, a raging problem during the Renaissance, as coming from an external source rather than a disease originating in the patient's body. Medicine of the time is based on the "imbalance of humors" according to Galen.
In 1546 Girolamo Fracastoro proposes epidemic diseases are caused by transferable seedlike entities. These can spread infection through direct or indirect contact, or vehicle transmission as by contaminated food or substance.
In the late 16th century that the world is introduced to the marvels of microscopic observation. The invention of the microscope is credited to Zacharias Janssen and his son Hans in the 1590s.
The first documentation of microorganisms was made by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek of Delft in the 1670s. He is often called the "Father of Microbiology" due to his pioneering work with simple microscopes.
Leeuwenhoek's advancements in lens-making enable deeper exploration into the microbial world. Leeuwenhoek crafts lenses allowing him to magnify objects up to 200x, revealing microscopic life.
He observes with delight and astonishment samples such as pond water, dental plaque and rainwater. His observations document single-celled organisms he dubs "animalcules", and the understanding of microbial life begins.
While Van Leeuwenhoek is commonly credited with being the first to discover microbes, Robert Hooke makes his initial documented microscopic observation in 1665. His work focusses on the fruiting bodies of molds.
Another figure, a Jesuit priest named Athanasius Kircher, is also believed to have been among the earliest to observe microorganisms. Kircher, known for creating magic lanterns for projection, has a deep understanding of lens properties.
In 1646, Kirchner authors "Regarding the remarkable complexity of natural phenomena, observed through a Microscope." He marvels at the presence of countless worms in vinegar and milk. He further observes tiny creatures teeming in the midst of decay.
His work Scrutinium Pestis (Examination of the Plague), published in 1658, correctly attributes the disease to microbes. The organisms he saw are probably red or white blood cells rather than the actual plague-causing pathogens.
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