Microorganisms and health

All life on earth seem to have got their foundation from microorganisms.It has been said that the twentieth century was the age of physics.We can say that the twenty first century will be the age of biology and biotechnology,with microbiology as the most important branch.It is generally believed that microorganisms have existed on earth for several billion years,and over this time ,plants and animals have evolved from these microscopic forms.Microorganisms themselves have also evolved into a very diverse group.They vary in their appearances,in their ability to carry out different biochemical transformations,in their ability to carry out different environments,and in their interactions with other microorganisms and all other forms of life ,in particular humans.One of the most important characteristics is their ability to quickly change their properties and adapt to a changing environment . And yet,for all of these amazing abilities,we cannot really assess their true importance and capabilities because less than one in a hundred species can be grown in the laboratory!As the exploration of the microbial world continues there are certain to be many new surprises.