THE BUGS WITHIN US

-Date of publication:  22May of 2015

-Source of information:  Science News for Students

https://student.societyforscience.org/article/bugs-within-us

-Scientific field:  Microbes  and animals

-Extract:

A lot of bacteria’s live inside animals and affect their health, food choices and mating. Indeed, humans in terms of the number of cells present, we are all more bacterial than human. Humans even pick up bacteria when someone kisses us on the cheek for example.   

-Critical appraisal:

First, I’d like to said that this article talks about microbes in our body that are crucial to our health because they helped to digest  food. Other microbes, such as viruses and fungi, also occupy our bodies. Overall,, humans are home to nearly 15,000 species of bacteria.

Secondly, recent studies suggest that these bugs also affect how an animal’s brain develops and what food an animals eat.

The brain is one of the most critical parts and bacteria might help our brains develop properly.

I’m really impressed by the discoveries of Reuven Dukas because he studied bacteria in fruit flies. Researchers discovered that maggots feed on jelly containing yeast and sugar. Bacteria inside the maggots  affects which food sample other young fruit flies will prefer to eat.

This experiments suggest that bacteria indeed affect the flies food choices and extend the creations of new species.

-Glossary:  

-Fruit  flies:   Tiny flies

- Species: A group of similar organisms capable of producing offspring that can survive and reproduce.

- Bacterium: A single-celled organism. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside animals.

-Maggots: A soft-bodied, legless larva of certain flies. 

Written by Lidia Figueras