Hello, students, welcome to this new chapter and that’s Microbes in Human Welfare. Well, in this module we are just learning the introductory part of this chapter. Well, students, I said microbes in human welfare. Don’t you think it means that somewhere or somehow we human beings are dependent on these microbes. So, let’s study this.
Now, these microbes are everywhere, then why can’t we see them with our naked eyes? It’s because they are very small. So, they are even smaller than these 0.1 mm. So, they are approx 0.1 mm or even less than that in size. Well these microbes are present in different morphology or say different types. So, we will study them, what are these different morphologies of these micro-organisms? So, we found them in the form of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and these microscopic plants and they are also found in the form of viruses, viroids, prions. So, these are the different morphologies of these micro-organisms which are found in tiny, tiny sizes around us. Well, nowadays with the recent technologies we have started growing these micro-organisms in our lab. Well, yes, now let’s see this beautiful picture we can see that how a person is holding this petri plate where you can see there are certain nutrient media. Now this nutrient is what is required for the growth of these micro-organisms. Well, here you can see certain colonies, all these circular things, these are colonies of all different types of microbes and we have grown them here in this petri plate and it is really looking beautiful. Well, as I already told you these micro-organisms are present everywhere. So, let’s see a few examples.
Yes, they are present in soil around us; they are present in even in dead wood, wow. Mud, say be it food products, air, water, clothes, nails, skin, jams that becomes the part of food products. They are also found in other organisms. Now, what does it mean? Yes, they are also present inside us, in our body and that’s how they are widely across, surrounding us and also in us. So, that’s really an amazing part. In fact, wait, they are also found in the extreme environments. Now, what does this mean, guys, extreme environment? Let’s see, so here comes microbes, well, they are also found in space, that’s really wonderful. They are also found in Antarctica. And we know Antarctica, there is snow, snow, snow. Well, they are also found in highly acidic environment and that’s really amazing. And yes, they are found at 100 degrees Celsius in fact even they are found at more than temperature of this. Now, and this we already know, right, they are also found under the snow. Say, under the layers of snow because we already know they are found in Antarctica. So, just imagine how widely and widespread these microbes, tiny, tiny microbes are, well, that’s really beautiful to know.
Well, if they are so widely found across us and they are so widely spread in our biosphere and as we have known them more for being harmful and pathogenic, how do we survive, how do we exist so conveniently? It’s, of course, because we have certain good micro-organisms too in our biosphere. Now, what does it mean good microbes? If I say good microbes, it means that we might be getting some use or some application of these micro-organisms in our day to day life, yes, exactly. So, these good microbes are actually helping us out in lot many activities in our day to day life.
So, here we are going to see one by one all the uses of these micro-organisms in our day to day life. So, here comes the first use and that’s microbes in household production and that’s really wonderful use, students. You might be, you might be eating curds, sometimes yoghurts, jams, right, butter. All these are somewhere getting worked upon by certain microbes. So, that’s how wonderful role they have even in our day to day, even in our kitchen. Here comes the second use of microbes and that’s microbes in industrial productions. Students, that is really wonderful use because, now what kind of things we produce in industry using these microbes. Yes, we are producing antibiotics, vitamins. Now, you can just imagine what important use we have of these microbes, yes. Now, let’s see the third use and that’s really again a blessing to us and that’s how we can reuse this sludge water, in fact, and that is microbes in sewage treatment plant. So, that’s, I agree with you, it’s really a very important use of these microbes. Now, here comes the fourth use and that is microbes in biogas production. Now, again it is a blessing, students, because of these microbes we have got an alternative source of fuel. So, that’s really a wonderful use of these microbes. Well, here comes the fifth use and again it is a curing for us, for our crops, for our farming and for our agriculture. And that’s microbes as bio control agents. So, that’s really a wonderful use again. And here comes the last but not the least and that is microbes as bio fertilizers. Now, you might have heard of organic farming, right. Yes, exactly there comes the role of microbes as bio fertilizers.
So, you just saw how important, how crucial role these microbes are playing in our day to day life. So, that’s really lot of important uses we just saw.
Now, students, in this module we just saw the introductory uses. Well, in the further modules we are going to learn all these use in detail one by one. Well, for listening thank you, take care.