And we’ve got good reason to be - without bacteria there would be no life on earth. In fact, they were the first living things on the planet – and, with around four billion years under their belts, they’re some of the oldest known life forms. Today, bacteria are one of the world’s most abundant organisms. You’ll find these guys all over - in the air, soil, water, food, your body and, of course, our little bottles.
By accident! For millions of years bacteria went about their business completely unseen. Then, in the late 17th century they were ‘discovered’ by Dutch cloth merchant Antonie van Leeuwenhoek after developing a microscope capable of magnifying objects over 200 times.
More fun facts!
If weighed, the bacteria in an acre of farmland would be as heavy as two cows.