The first organisms
Bacteria have been the very first organisms to live on Earth. They made their appearance 3 billion years ago in the waters of the first oceans. At first, there were only anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria (the primordial atmosphere was virtually oxygen-free). The first autotrophic bacteria, very similar to the current cyanobacteria, appeared approximately 2 billion years ago. Photosynthesis occurred in these organisms and this is how the atmosphere was enriched with precious oxygen. Cyanobacteria or blue algae made the primitive atmosphere breathable and allowed life to colonise the lands above sea level.
Man has just recently become aware of the existence of bacteria because they were too small to be observed or studied before the microscope was invented.
Special reports
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3 November 2014
Conan the bacterium
Have you ever leafed through the pages of a book of Guinness World Records? You can find records of all…
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31 August 2013
The Red List of Italian animals
Italy has a rich biodiversity due to its distinctive geographic...
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
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16 June 2021
A turtle’s life
World Sea Turtle Day is held on 16 June. First established in 2008, the day is now supported by Sea…
10 June 2021
The world below
Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a famous science fiction novel written by the great Jules Verne in…
29 April 2021
Etruscan shrews, ferocity in miniature
Which is the tiniest micromammal, i.e. the smallest mammal on the planet? Up until almost half a century ago, it…
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3 November 2014
Conan the bacterium
Have you ever leafed through the pages of a book of Guinness World Records? You can find records of all…
-
31 August 2013
The Red List of Italian animals
Italy has a rich biodiversity due to its distinctive geographic...
-
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
-
3 November 2014
Conan the bacterium
Have you ever leafed through the pages of a book of Guinness World Records? You can find records of all…
From the Multimedia section
Facts
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Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...
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Bacteria as Sherlock Holmes
A drop of blood, a fragment of skin or a hair found on the scene of a crime can supply…
Down-pouring bacteria
It sounds incredible, but recent researches have found that bacteria can cause some atmospheric phenomena...
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13 May 2011
Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...
-
Bacteria as Sherlock Holmes
A drop of blood, a fragment of skin or a hair found on the scene of a crime can supply…
-
Down-pouring bacteria
It sounds incredible, but recent researches have found that bacteria can cause some atmospheric phenomena...
-
Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...