Page 167 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Microscopic life SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Body cells p.41
▸ ▸ Food chains
Microorganisms are very tiny living things. They are all p.107
around us—in the air, in our bodies, and in water. Most ▸ ▸ Inventions
microorganisms are so small that they can only be seen pp.136–137

through a magnifying machine called a microscope. ▸ ▸ Invertebrates
p.139
▸ ▸ Sickness p.225

Types of microscopic life Plankton
There are many kinds of microscopic Plankton are microscopic
life. Some are harmful and spread plants and animals that
illness. Others are helpful, such as live in water.
the bacteria in our stomach,
which break down our food. Virus
Viruses attack the cells
of plants and animals,
causing sickness.

Bacteria
Some bacteria help our Microscope
bodies use food. Others
cause illness, such as Microscopes use lenses
cholera and tetanus. to enlarge, or magnify,
things. This lets us look
at things much smaller
than what we can see
Dust mites look Scientists put with just our eyes.
like tiny bugs. samples on glass
Humans have slides to examine
trillions of them in closer detail
bacteria under a microscope.
in their bodies
to help them
survive. Dust mites
These microscopic
bugs live all around us.
They live in people’s
homes and eat
flakes of dead skin
that drop off us.

165

US_165_Microscopic_life.indd 165 16/05/2017 09:49