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Unveiling the wonders of bacteria, tiny yet mighty titans of nature
Musa Sattar, London, UK
Deputy Science Editor
Imagine a world where invisible creatures hold the keys to life’s survival. These tiny beings are everywhere, from the dirt beneath your feet to the deepest parts of the ocean. They even live inside your body, helping you stay healthy. These amazing organisms, known as bacteria, are truly nature’s masterpieces.
Bacteria are like nature’s tiny machines, incredibly small yet packed with everything they need to live and thrive. Each bacterium is a single cell, and inside this microscopic cell, there are numerous parts that work together in perfect harmony to keep it alive. Lacking a nucleus, bacteria are prokaryotic. Picture a miniature factory that runs smoothly without anyone directing it – such is the efficiency of a bacterial cell.
One of the things that makes bacteria so extraordinary is their ability to live almost anywhere. They have been found in some of the harshest environments on Earth, from boiling hot springs to freezing Antarctic ice, and even deep within rocks underground. No matter how extreme the conditions, bacteria have found ways to survive. This remarkable adaptability showcases the ingenious design of these tiny organisms.
But bacteria are not just survivors; they are also creators, playing a crucial role in many of the natural processes that keep our planet healthy. For instance, bacteria in the soil help plants grow by breaking down dead plants and animals into nutrients. Without these microscopic helpers, the soil would lack the nutrients plants need, and life on Earth would be vastly different. In addition, bacteria also play a vital role in keeping our environment clean. In oceans and rivers, bacteria help break down pollutants, making the water cleaner. They act as nature’s cleanup crew, tirelessly working to maintain the health of our planet. Some bacteria can even break down oil from spills, protecting marine life and shorelines from harm.
Inside your body, bacteria are equally hardworking. There are trillions of bacteria living in your gut, where they assist in digesting food. They break down what you eat into smaller pieces that your body can use for energy. Without these beneficial bacteria, your body would struggle to extract the necessary nutrients from food.
As Chris Greening, a microbiologist at Monash University in Australia, said, ‘Bacteria keep defying textbook descriptions of them.’ He describes bacteria as far more complex, organised, and versatile than we ever imagined.
For example, one of the most fascinating aspects of bacteria is their ability to communicate with each other. They use a process called quorum sensing, which allows them to sense how many other bacteria are around them. When their numbers reach a certain threshold, they begin to work together, much like an orchestra playing a symphony. This collaboration enables them to do things they couldn’t achieve alone, such as forming biofilms – protective layers that make them more resistant to harsh conditions. Research from University of California San Diego biologist Gürol Süel, along with researchers at Stanford University and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain, revealed that bacterial biofilm cells are organised in intricate patterns, a feature once thought exclusive to higher organisms like plants and animals. Such complexity in such tiny organisms is nothing short of miraculous. Another fascinating feature found in soil bacteria is their internal clocks, which synchronise their activities with the Earth’s 24-hour cycles of day and night. Researchers are astonished by the sophistication of these bacterial circadian clocks, yet another proof of the flawlessness of nature.
Bacteria also have a unique way of protecting themselves from viruses through a system called CRISPR, which acts like genetic memory. When a virus attacks a bacterium, the bacterium captures a piece of the virus’s DNA and stores it in its own DNA. If the virus attacks again, the bacterium recognises it and destroys it. Scientists have harnessed this system to edit genes, a powerful tool in research and medicine, further highlighting the brilliance embedded in these tiny organisms.
And despite being microscopic, some bacteria can grow to surprising sizes. Scientists have discovered bacteria that form centimetre-long filaments made up of hundreds to thousands of cells. One such bacterium, Thiomargarita magnifica, found in the mangrove swamps of Guadeloupe, is so large it can be seen with the naked eye. Remarkably, this bizarrely complex organism is actually a single bacterium. Not only does it stand out in size, but it also has a sophisticated structure, storing its DNA in neatly organised packets. With over 700,000 copies of its genetic blueprint in a single cell, T. magnifica is clearly not a product of chance but a masterpiece of intelligent design.
Andreas Teske, a marine biologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reflects on this discovery, saying, ‘The discovery of this new Thiomargarita bacterium makes us appreciate the incredible diversity of the microbial world and the intricate structural and genomic adaptations of bacteria that allow them to grow to cell sizes that nobody would have expected.’
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In Alberta, Canada, researchers discovered bacteria deep underground that produce large amounts of oxygen without any light. These aerobes, which need oxygen to digest methane, don’t take it from their surroundings like other organisms. Instead, they generate their own by breaking down nitrites, compounds containing nitrogen and oxygen. The oxygen they produce is so abundant that it rivals the oxygen generated by the Amazon rainforest. This astonishing ability further underscores the complexity and intentional design woven into nature.
It was once believed that bacteria, no matter how complex their signalling systems, simply reacted to their environment to survive and reproduce. However, recent research reveals a deeper truth: bacteria are not just passive responders to what has already happened. Instead, they actively anticipate and prepare for what lies ahead. This remarkable foresight in such tiny organisms highlights the wisdom and purposeful design behind life, far beyond what randomness could achieve.
Humans have made many technological advances, but we still have not been able to create anything as complex and efficient as a single bacterial cell. Bacteria are masters of efficiency, capable of carrying out all the functions of life within a tiny, self-contained package. They reproduce quickly, adapt to new environments, and even communicate with each other. Their simplicity belies a level of complexity that is truly astounding.
Jean-Marie Volland, a marine biologist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, put it best when he marvelled at the complexity of bacteria, saying, ‘Bacteria are way more complex in terms of biochemistry. They can fix carbon, they can use sugars, they can grow on all kinds of substrates, they can communicate, they can do signalling, all kinds of complex mechanisms. They are also capable of social behaviour, and some of them have complex life cycles. So, it is not true that bacteria are simple and eukaryotes are complex.’
As we learn more about bacteria, we continue to uncover new ways they benefit us and the environment. Scientists are exploring how bacteria can be used to produce biofuels, renewable energy sources that could help combat climate change. They are also studying how bacteria can aid in waste management by breaking down garbage in landfills.
In medicine, bacteria are being used to develop new treatments and therapies. Probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria, are improving gut health and treating various digestive disorders. Scientists are also studying how bacteria can be used to produce new antibiotics, essential for fighting infections.
So, the next time you hear the word ‘bacteria,’ remember that these tiny organisms are not just germs that make you sick. They are amazing, hardworking, and essential for life on Earth. They are a testament to the perfection of nature, showing us that even the smallest creatures have a purpose, one designed by a Creator with infinite wisdom.
Further Reading:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-08-10-08
https://www.nature.com/articles/d44151-022-00006-8
https://today.ucsd.edu/story/simple-bacteria-found-to-organize-in-elaborate-patterns
Bacterial Quorum Sensing: Its Role in Virulence and Possibilities for Its Control – PMC (nih.gov)
Frontiers | The cognitive cell: bacterial behavior reconsidered (frontiersin.org)
Greening, C., Lithgow, T. ‘Formation and function of bacterial organelles.’ Nature Reviews Microbiology, 18, 677–689 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0413-0
Rafael G. Saer, Robert E. Blankenship, ‘Light harvesting in phototrophic bacteria: structure and function.’ Biochemical Journal, volume 474, Issue 13, 2107-2131. (2017) https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160753.
The Human Microbiome Project Consortium. ‘Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome.’ Nature, 486, 207–214 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11234
Gilmore MC, Ritzl-Rinkenberger B, Cava F. ‘An updated toolkit for exploring bacterial cell wall structure and dynamics.’ Faculty Reviews. 2021 Feb 10;10:14. doi: 10.12703/r/10-14.
Our God has power over everything. They are false who say that He created neither souls nor the particles of the body. They are unaware of God. We witness His new creation every day and He always breathes a new spirit of progress into us. Had He not the power to bring into being from nothing that would have been the death of us. Wonderful is He Who is our God. Who is there like unto Him? Wonderful are His works. Who is there whose works are like His? He is Absolute Power.
—Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Allah the Exalted, pp. 61-62.
