Algae
1) The oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface, yet algae produce more than 71% of the Earth’s oxygen; in fact, some scientists believe that algae produce 87% of the world’s oxygen. They also help remove huge amounts of Carbon Dioxide.
2) Some algae are so cool; they can live in the snow, just like the pink-colored algae in the picture below.
3) Some algae can live in boiling hot water, like these yellow, green, and orange algae in Yellowstone National Park.
4) Oxygen was poisonous to the organisms that populated the early Earth. By producing oxygen, the first algae may have created the greatest toxic waste crisis in history.
5) The descendants of some of the first algae probably live inside your cells.
6) Some algae seem more like animals than plants.
7) Some algae even hunt and kill fish for food!
8) Fossilized Algae are used to make dynamite.
9) Algae may have caused one of the most famous miracles in the Bible.
10) Algae may be able to help save the planet.
ARE ALGAE GOOD FOR THE LAKE? HERE’S 5 REASONS WHY:
1. Algae are an important source of food and oxygen for other plants and animals that live in the water – having lots of types of algae in the lake is actually healthy for the lake’s ecosystem
2. Algae floating on the surface provide shade for underwater plants and animals that need it, especially during the hottest parts of the day and the year
3. Algae produce oxygen during the daytime, which provides oxygen to fish and other underwater insects, animals and plants. On the flip side, algae uses oxygen at night – too much algae can use up the oxygen in the water and that’s not good for fish and critters!
4. Algae can absorb nutrients like nitrates, ammonia and phosphorus – but too much of any of these in our lake can hurt plants and animals and the overall health of the water
5. “Hair” algae provides shelter for fish to lay their eggs.
--from http://allaboutalgae.com/what-are-algae/ and http://www.fun-science-project-ideas.com/Algae-Facts.html
1) The oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface, yet algae produce more than 71% of the Earth’s oxygen; in fact, some scientists believe that algae produce 87% of the world’s oxygen. They also help remove huge amounts of Carbon Dioxide.
2) Some algae are so cool; they can live in the snow, just like the pink-colored algae in the picture below.
3) Some algae can live in boiling hot water, like these yellow, green, and orange algae in Yellowstone National Park.
4) Oxygen was poisonous to the organisms that populated the early Earth. By producing oxygen, the first algae may have created the greatest toxic waste crisis in history.
5) The descendants of some of the first algae probably live inside your cells.
6) Some algae seem more like animals than plants.
7) Some algae even hunt and kill fish for food!
8) Fossilized Algae are used to make dynamite.
9) Algae may have caused one of the most famous miracles in the Bible.
10) Algae may be able to help save the planet.
ARE ALGAE GOOD FOR THE LAKE? HERE’S 5 REASONS WHY:
1. Algae are an important source of food and oxygen for other plants and animals that live in the water – having lots of types of algae in the lake is actually healthy for the lake’s ecosystem
2. Algae floating on the surface provide shade for underwater plants and animals that need it, especially during the hottest parts of the day and the year
3. Algae produce oxygen during the daytime, which provides oxygen to fish and other underwater insects, animals and plants. On the flip side, algae uses oxygen at night – too much algae can use up the oxygen in the water and that’s not good for fish and critters!
4. Algae can absorb nutrients like nitrates, ammonia and phosphorus – but too much of any of these in our lake can hurt plants and animals and the overall health of the water
5. “Hair” algae provides shelter for fish to lay their eggs.
--from http://allaboutalgae.com/what-are-algae/ and http://www.fun-science-project-ideas.com/Algae-Facts.html
In Florida, a 7th grade student recently won a school science fair by proving there was more bacteria in ice machines at fast-food restaurants than in toilet bowl water.
According to University of Arizona researchers, TV remote controls in hospital rooms are worse carriers of bacteria than the toilet handles.
The most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the typical kitchen sponge and 'dish cloths' in American homes. They provide a source of moisture, a ready food supply in the form of food particles, and an easy surface to which the bacteria may cling. They can easily be disinfected however, by placing the sponge in a microwave oven for 60 to 120 seconds. The odor is improved too.
--from http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-bacteria.html
According to University of Arizona researchers, TV remote controls in hospital rooms are worse carriers of bacteria than the toilet handles.
The most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the typical kitchen sponge and 'dish cloths' in American homes. They provide a source of moisture, a ready food supply in the form of food particles, and an easy surface to which the bacteria may cling. They can easily be disinfected however, by placing the sponge in a microwave oven for 60 to 120 seconds. The odor is improved too.
--from http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-bacteria.html
1. If you pick up a handful of garden soil you will be holding hundreds if not thousands of different kinds of microbes.
One single teaspoon of soil contains 1 billion bacteria & 120,000 fungi & 25,000 algae
2. Microbes have been around longer than anything else on Earth, longer even than dinosaurs.
If you imagine Earth began as a single day:
Microbes appeared at 5am
Dinosaurs appeared at 10pm
... and humans appeared seconds before midnight
3. There are 10 times more bacteria in the average human’s digestive system than there are cells in the entire body. This is approximately 1 kg of bacteria.
4. Microbes generate at least half the oxygen we breathe.
5. Most microbes do not cause disease - less than 5% do.
6. Cattle belching and farting produce about 20% of the Earth’s methane.
7. A study found that 30% of all people didn't wash their hands after using a public bathroom—although 90% claimed they do. Just think what may be on their hands!
8. The toilet handle in most bathrooms at work has 400 times more germs than the toilet seat.
9. Botox is made from a deadly bacterial toxin which is used in very small doses to remove wrinkles.
10. Some dentists recommend that a toothbrush should be kept at least 2 metres away from a toilet to avoid air-borne particles resulting from the flush – what a large bathroom!
12. Dr. Winkle Weinberg, an infectious diseases expert, reckons that when we have a cold and cough the virus particles can travel at 320 kilometres an hour and up to 900 metres. That is faster than a passenger jet at takeoff!
13. The largest organism in the world when measured by area is the Honey Mushroom fungus. It covers a whopping 8.9km2 of a national forest in the USA.
14. According to Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist in Arizona the bathroom is cleaner then the kitchen in the average house. He says you're safer making a sandwich on top of the toilet bowl than in the kitchen.
15. The dirtiest spots in the kitchen are dishcloths, cutting boards, sponges, and sink handles. Surprisingly, the floor is often cleaner than the sink!
--from http://www.microbiologyonline.org.uk/students/fascinating-facts
One single teaspoon of soil contains 1 billion bacteria & 120,000 fungi & 25,000 algae
2. Microbes have been around longer than anything else on Earth, longer even than dinosaurs.
If you imagine Earth began as a single day:
Microbes appeared at 5am
Dinosaurs appeared at 10pm
... and humans appeared seconds before midnight
3. There are 10 times more bacteria in the average human’s digestive system than there are cells in the entire body. This is approximately 1 kg of bacteria.
4. Microbes generate at least half the oxygen we breathe.
5. Most microbes do not cause disease - less than 5% do.
6. Cattle belching and farting produce about 20% of the Earth’s methane.
7. A study found that 30% of all people didn't wash their hands after using a public bathroom—although 90% claimed they do. Just think what may be on their hands!
8. The toilet handle in most bathrooms at work has 400 times more germs than the toilet seat.
9. Botox is made from a deadly bacterial toxin which is used in very small doses to remove wrinkles.
10. Some dentists recommend that a toothbrush should be kept at least 2 metres away from a toilet to avoid air-borne particles resulting from the flush – what a large bathroom!
12. Dr. Winkle Weinberg, an infectious diseases expert, reckons that when we have a cold and cough the virus particles can travel at 320 kilometres an hour and up to 900 metres. That is faster than a passenger jet at takeoff!
13. The largest organism in the world when measured by area is the Honey Mushroom fungus. It covers a whopping 8.9km2 of a national forest in the USA.
14. According to Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist in Arizona the bathroom is cleaner then the kitchen in the average house. He says you're safer making a sandwich on top of the toilet bowl than in the kitchen.
15. The dirtiest spots in the kitchen are dishcloths, cutting boards, sponges, and sink handles. Surprisingly, the floor is often cleaner than the sink!
--from http://www.microbiologyonline.org.uk/students/fascinating-facts