Microbiology-II

Greetings, persistent microbe hunter.

These classes will be much more difficult than the first introductory course. Only the most stubborn will be able to go all the way to the end. But the reward will be a good understanding of the nature of bacteria, microscopic fungi, algae, and protozoa. If you wish, you can even do scientific work.

• Platform: PC, Windows

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Сurriculum

1. Systematics of Bacteria
   Biologists enjoy classifying living organisms into different groups. But bacteria are hard to organize. Let's explore the challenges of bacterial classification.
   
2. Structure of Bacterial Cells
   In this lesson, we will study the few things you can see in a bacterium.
   
3. Growth and reproduction of bacteria
   One of the first scientists to figure out how bacteria reproduce was Nicolas Theodore de Saussure. He said "If we see two small animals joined together, it does not mean that they came together to reproduce. On the contrary, these paired animals represent nothing but one old microbe dividing into two parts - into two new little animals." True, he added, "And this is the only way germs reproduce" - now we know that's not true.
   Let's find out how things are.
   
4. Bacterial genome
   The genome is the genetic material contained within a single cell of an organism.
   In most living organisms, the genome is built from DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid). Bacteria are no exception. However, the way the genome is organized inside bacterial cells is original. And their ability to exchange genetic material with everyone is unique. How do they do it? Let's find out now!
   
5. How and what do bacteria eat
   It would seem that children's questions - but the answer is not easy. However, we will try to find it out.
   
6. Ecology of microorganisms
   Microbes live everywhere. They can even occupy extreme ecological niches, inaccessible to animals and plants. Even tardigrades cannot compete with them in their ability to survive anywhere. Earth, water, and air are all densely dotted with bacteria and their spores. Do you wish to know how they do it?
   
7. How bacteria cope with stress
   The most exciting thing about bacteria is their ability to feel great in unexpected and unpleasant places.
   In this lesson, I will explain how bacteria cope with the heat and cold, in space and at the bottom of the ocean, after they have been salted and stuffed with poisons.
   
8. Oral microbiome
   The oral cavity is a unique open ecosystem for a wide variety of microorganisms.
   In this lesson, we will learn what microorganisms live in the mouth of healthy people, learn to recognize them by shape, and determine how long the owners of the mouth have not brushed their teeth.
   
9. Intestinal microbiome
   Did you know that almost 20% of our food is eaten by intestinal bacteria? There are a lot of them, and they are voracious. But on the other hand, those bacteria that always live with us are called "normal microflora." They also help a lot, not just steal food. In this lesson, we will look at microbial dialectics.
   
10. Photosynthetic bacteria
    Who can eat a rainbow and exhale oxygen? I'll tell you in this lesson.
    
11. Origin of life
    Once, a long time ago, but not far, far away, suddenly, life popped up. What do we know about how it happened?
    
12. Symbiogenesis
    In this session, I will discuss which eukaryotic organelles used to be free-living organisms.
    
13. Symbiosis
    Here you can find 10 examples of symbiosis between macro- and micro-organisms.
    
14. Composite organisms
    Have you heard of the chimera from ancient Greek mythology - a beast with the head and neck of a lion, the body of a goat, and a tail that was a snake? Do you think such creatures are impossible? Maybe in the macrocosm, they do not exist. But in the microcosm, many things are possible. Sometimes we may think we are looking at one living being, but in reality, there are three or even twenty. Join the lesson to discover the chimeras of the microworld.
    histogram(M34_1Composite organisms)
15. Algae under a microscope
    What do we mean by "algae"? This term is not very precise in science. Instead, we use the term "lower plants" to describe those that lack a root, stem, and leaves, but have a simple and uniform "thallus", like lichens. So, there is no clear definition of "algae", but there is a branch of science that studies them! And since many algae are microscopic, they are also relevant to our interest.
    
16. Fungi under a microscope
    To the trained eye of a mushroom picker, identifying mushrooms is a simple matter of sight. But for scientists who study fungi, the challenge is much greater. The precise definition of a fungal species depends not on the shape or color of the mushroom's stem or cap but on the microscopic features of its reproductive structures. As the proverb goes, “Seeing is believing.” So click on start - and let's explore!
    
17. Protozoa
    Protozoa are tiny and single-celled, but they are not simple at all. They are amazing creatures that come in many shapes and forms. Let's explore how they are different from each other, how they are organized inside, and how they move and multiply. We will discover a lot of new and weird things.
    
18. Viruses
    There are so many viruses on Earth that if they were fully alive, they would be the most numerous creatures on our planet. But viruses are more of a substance. If viruses are outside of their host, they cannot reproduce. This is why viruses are more like a code or a recipe than a creature. However, bacteria, bunnies, mushrooms, and daisies reproduce well without outside help - which means they are alive. Now we will figure out how viruses work so interestingly.
    
19. Microorganisms and the matter cycles
    Our world is made of very old matter. New elements are hardly created on Earth. Most of them recycle through many chemical changes. There are many elements, but we will focus on the journey of some important ones for life - nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
    
20. Professions for Microscope Enthusiasts
    Learning how to use a microscope is not only fun but also valuable. Many careers require microscope skills, such as biology, forensics, jewelry, medicine, and geology. These careers are very diverse and offer different opportunities and challenges. How can you decide which one is the best for you?