We are also able to use bacteria to break down our sewage and to clean up oil spills. Many bacteria are very fast growing — under ideal conditions, Escherichia coli E.
Coli are able to double their number in 20 minutes. This makes them very useful tools in molecular biology and biochemistry, as they can be manipulated much faster than more complex and slower growing organisms. We can manipulate bacteria to grow a protein of interest, for example, insulin, and then grow them in large vats to produce a large quantity of the desired protein.
Only a small handful of known bacteria are capable of causing disease. These bacteria are termed pathogenic. I found two movies that provide brief introductions to the diverse roles microorganisms play on earth. The speakers were of both genders and a range of ages, illustrating that science is carried out by different people. As one expects from the Public Broadcasting Service, the movie has high production values, with beautiful footage of living microbes.
The movie trailer for the Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth series provides an introduction to life's codependence with microorganisms, microbes' place in the tree of life, and their technological potential. Understanding Microbial Life Figure 2 ; www. The first half of this min movie reviews the roles of early microbes on Earth, where microbes can be found, and the relationships of microbes with other life forms.
In the second half, it describes some of the codependent relationships the human body has with microorganisms. There is one error in the movie. Because the movie promotes a particular point of view, it might be used to stimulate student discussion on whether they agree or not. The Understanding Microbial Life movie provides a brief introduction to the beneficial roles of microorganisms on the planet and in the human body.
Recent discoveries are highlighting the roles that microorganisms play in the human intestine. Three researchers involved in one of these studies discuss their work in the Human Gut Microbes video feature on Nature. Researchers found that the percentage of two types of bacteria changed in relationship to a person's weight. The images of a heavier individual in this section could have been selected with more sensitivity.
This and the footage showing a banana being peeled would make me hesitate to show this section in class, particularly with younger students.
The speakers are of both genders and represent several stages of a scientific career pathway graduate student, postdoctoral fellow and senior scientist. I was able to access the video using Internet Explorer; the Safari and Firefox browsers only played the audio.
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Optimize your wastewater treatment. Boost biogas production. Main menu. English EN. Microbes Microbes do more Microbes are microscopic, single-celled organisms like bacteria and fungi. Future proof with innovation Although miniscule, microbes have the power to solve daunting global challenges and unlock new ways we can work towards a greener future. By using biology, we can make a sustainable difference together.
This is an excellent introduction for those who have some previous knowledge about biology but would like to know more about the curious world of microbes. The course consists of articles to read, interviews with researchers and students, quizzes, videos of lab work and some experiments you can do at home.
I miss a more thorough walk-through of ho An excellent introduction to mircrobiology w to classify microbes, but I guess that would require a more advanced course.
All in all, a very good course. Category: FutureLearn Local , Learning. Category: Current Issues , General. Category: Digital Skills , Learning , What is. We offer a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world.
These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life. You can unlock new opportunities with unlimited access to hundreds of online short courses for a year by subscribing to our Unlimited package.
Build your knowledge with top universities and organisations. Learn more about how FutureLearn is transforming access to education. Learn more about this course. Beneficial uses of microbes What are the beneficial uses of microbes? Find out more in this article. Microbiology small and mighty 14 Sep,
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