An abundance of bacteria

In my interview with microbiologist, Professor Ed Rybicki, he outlines how tiny micro-organisms, which were there in the very beginning of life on Earth, may have persisted until today. Many believe they will be the most enduring forms of life.

Prof. Rybicki explains that microbes can be considered the most successful organisms on our planet. The fossil record has also showed us a trend toward the development of greater complexity of organisms over time, i.e., from single cells, to colonies of cells, to multicellular forms capable of organising themselves into tissues, organs and systems. In the past, there was an idea of a “progression” and “higher organisms” in evolution but this is no longer valid as life appears to have developed in a wide variety of ways. Organisms may increase or decrease complexity in response to local environmental conditions. Thus, it is worth noting that a microorganism, such as bacteria, even though it is made up of just a single cell, it can be considered quite complex in terms of its adaptations to its environment.