Microbes are fascinating creatures that live all around us. Yet, we cannot see them, even though we can’t live without them.

I have always liked to look into the world of microorganisms. It’s like a whole other universe. Therefore, I have decided to make this short list of my favorite microbes.  They are amazing!

1.    Noctiluca  (sea sparkle) – A type of algae that is a dinoflagellate (a small single-celled organism which swims freely in the water with a forward spiraling motion propelled by dimorphic flagella) that causes bioluminescence in the ocean.

2.    Amoeba proteus (amoeba) – Single celled organism that has a psuedopod which it uses to pull itself with or eat. They are helpful when they control algae in ponds, lakes, and streams, but are a problem when they live in unhealthy areas such as places with raw sewage. They can make people ill when they get inside their bodies and cause them to have Dysentery.

3.    Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifer) – a multicellular animal with body cavities that are partially lined by a mesoderm. They have a specialized organ system and a complete digestive tract. A physical characteristic that they have is a crown of cilia around their mouth.

4.    Hypsibius dujardini (Waterbear) – A member of the phylum Tardigrada, a group of microscopic animals known as water bears. Tardigrades have the ability to shut down their metabolism and almost entirely and survive for extremely long periods of time in a desiccated state.

5.    Centropages hamatus (Copepod) – Tiny crustaceans that are cousins to crayfish and water fleas. They are an important food source for baby fish and eat tiny insect larvae such as mosquitoes. They are also studied by scientists to see how clean the water is.

6.    Paramecium caudatum (Paramecium) – A single-celled organism with tiny, hair-like cilia surrounding the outside of their cell which helps them move. They are helpful in controlling algae and bacteria, help clean up tiny particles of debris in the water, and feed on small animals. They can also live inside human bodies, and some can cause illness.

7.    Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yeast) – This microscopic, single-celled fungi is used in bakery products where it converts fermentable sugars present in dough into carbon dioxide and ethanol and can also be used in alcoholic fermentation for brewing.

8.    Bifidobacterium longum (Bifido) – Bifido, a type of bacteria, is one of the most prevalent micro-organisms in your intestinal tract and is a probiotic (a live microorganism, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host).

9.    Lactobacillus bulgaricus (yogurt) – Lactobacillus bulgaricus is one of the oldest foods in the world. It lives in harmony with the other helpful bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract and helps neutralize toxins and kill harmful bacteria by producing its own natural antibiotics. It occurs naturally in certain foods such as miso, barley, and soybeans. It can also be found in yogurts, milk products, soy foods and beverages, and some juices.