Facts About Germs

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Introduction:

Microorganisms, commonly known as germs, belong to four different classes namely, Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa and Fungi. These microscopic organisms can be single as well multiple celled. They can easily invade, plants animals and humans are associated with various diseases both plant and animal diseases. There is no germ-free place. They are found everywhere one can think of including hot springs and vents and coldest glaciers. Some tests also reveal their presence in vacuum.

There is so much more about germs that people are unaware of and some interesting or rather weird facts in the following article will leave you startled.

Fact 1:

There are microorganisms who have adapted themselves to the extreme environments. These are called extremophiles capable of surviving as well as reproducing in hot environments like deserts, geysers and even poles. There temperature tolerance range is from 130 °C (266 °F) to −17 °C (1 °F)

Fact 2:

Within your own house, if you think bathroom might be the filthiest place, you might need to think twice. It has been found that more germs are found in the kitchen sink than toilet. Germs love moist places and so are found in all damp places including refrigerator, dishcloth, garbage can and door knobs.

Fact 3:

Around 80% of germ related diseases are spread via handshakes and even your own hands to yourself after coughing or sneezing. According to a survey, only 51% of the Americans tend to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing and an even lesser percentage of 17% after shaking hands with someone. This is something one does not even bother thinking about.

Fact 4:

Germs do not only harm you but also love to attack the food that you have left open in air. Greatest examples of this are the greenish spots you see on the bread after three or four days of use. This is cause by a kind of fungi which feeds on it and then makes it its home.

Fact 5:

Not everything about bacteria is bad. There are good bacteria too. By good, I mean some that help in digestion. There are varieties of bacteria found in the stomach of a cow and even in human intestines which aid in digestion. A single person provides home to about 500 different species of bacteria inside of him.

Fact 6:

Microorganisms are now being readily exploited. Their role in biotechnology is immensely important. All the process that serves the human beings today including brewing, wine making, baking and fermentation to make yogurt and milk products would not have been possible had it not been for bacteria.

Fact 7:

Microorganisms widely known for their ability to cause disease and pollution can also be efficiently utilized for treating the waste water. Anaerobic germs, those that do not require oxygen to survive, are mostly used to reduce sludge in waste water treatment.

Fact 8:

The office desk has been called as the “bacteria’s cafe”. This is because the bacteria feed on the left over crumbs from daily feast and continue to grow. An estimate reveals the presence of 20,000 germs per square inch of the office desk, a number quite larger then that found on a toilet seat which continually gets cleaned and infected.

Fact 9:

There is no way you can totally eliminate or avoid germs. How many times will you clean a place to make it germ-free? This is practically impossible. The only way to make sure you are less susceptible to catching any disease is to make washing your hands on regular basis a common habit.

Fact 10:

Around 1000 germs can fit into a full stop that is at the end of this sentence.

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