Question

How do microbes affect our lives?

Answer 1

Microbes:

1. Microbes or microorganisms are organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
2. These belong to some groups such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and viruses.
3. These microorganisms exist everywhere in our surroundings and affect our lives.
4. Some of these are beneficial for us, while others are harmful.

Effects of microbes:

1. In environment:

1. Microorganisms play a significant role in maintaining our ecosystem.
2. Most of the microbes act as decomposers. These degrade the biological waste and help to keep the environment clean.
3. Also, some microbes do nitrogen fixation. Plants can't use environmental nitrogen on their own, so these microbes help them absorb nitrogen from the soil.
4. Some microbes are responsible for increasing the fertility of the Earth.
5. Some microbes also do photosynthesis, like cyanobacteria and algae.
6. Half of the photosynthesis is done by these. So these also give us fresh air.

2. In industries:

1. Most of the products that are produced in industries for humans, such as drugs, medicines, and some food materials, are obtained from bacteria. For example, penicillin and streptomycin.
2. Similarly, microbes are also used to produce wine, some vitamins, enzymes, cheese, and bread.

3. In biotechnology:

1. In biotechnology, many microorganisms are genetically modified to produce many products that are used for human welfare.
2. Today we are successfully using the products and services of biotechnology which is only possible because of microbes.
3. These microbes are used as vectors in research experiments in this field and are also used to synthesize any particular chemical product.

4. In the human body:

1. Microbes also live in our bodies. Some of these are beneficial for us.
2. For example, in our intestine, many strains of bacteria are found that are beneficial for us. These help to digest our food properly, and these are called good bacteria.

5. In health:

1. Many of these microorganisms also cause disease; we call them pathogens.
2. For example, HIV is a virus that causes lethal diseases like AIDS, ringworm by fungi, common flu by a virus, malaria by protozoa, and typhoid by a bacteria.
3. Not only in humans but microbes also cause diseases in other animals and plants.