This week, its all about bacteria
This American thrash metal band gets its name from a bacterial infection.
START THE QUIZ
1 / 10 |
Born on July 28, 1635, Robert Hooke was a scientific inquirer who was the curator at the Royal Society. In 1665, he published Micrographia which contained observations he had made using telescopes and microscopes. In it, he coined a term describing a biological organism. A term he used because of the apparent resemblance to the rooms monks had in a monastery. What term is this that refers to the basic structural, functional and biological unit of all living organisms?
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Bacteria are made up of only one of the entities that Hooke discovered. They have been on the planet for more than 3.5 billion years, making them the oldest known life-form on earth. The human body has around 39 trillion bacteria at any given time; all helping us live normal lives. One of the most important parts of our body is a descendant of bacteria engulfed by larger micro-organisms billions of years ago. What is this entity usually referred to as ‘the powerhouse’?
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Yersinia pestis was first isolated by Alexandre Yersin and he gave it the name ‘pestis’ as a reference to the Latin ‘pestilentia’ from which we get another word in English that refers to a particular epidemic. Y.pestis causes that particular epidemic and has been reported to have been the cause of the highest number of human deaths in history. During the 14th century, the bacteria was responsible for the death of at least one-third of the population of Europe. Thanks to modern medicine the epidemic is now under control. Which disease does the bacteria cause and what word shares its origin with it?
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Superbugs are resistant to antibiotics and a huge threat to medicine. One mechanism which contributes to antibiotic resistance involves an enzyme called NDM-1. NDM-1 was first observed in a Swedish man who fell sick after visiting the capital of a country. M-1 stands for metallo-beta-lactamase-1. ND stands for a place which is also referenced in a 2011 cult Bollywood film starring Imran Khan, the title of which refers to the after-effects of NDM-1. What does ND stand for and what was the movie?
5 / 10 |
Deinococcus radiodurans is a bacterium that can survive cold, dehydration, vacuum, and acid. It gets its name from its extraordinary ability to withstand extremely high doses (up to 2,500 times higher) of a certain process that is extremely fatal to human beings even in small doses. Its amazing ability is thanks to an incredible DNA repair mechanism it possesses. What can this microscopic bacterium survive that makes it so special?
6 / 10 |
Thiomargarita namibiensis is a coccoid Proteobacterium, found in the ocean sediments of the continental shelf of Namibia. They contain microscopi sulphur particles that scatter light. Unlike other bacteria which are usually 1.1 µm to 1.5 µm wide, this one is a staggering 0.75 mm (750 μm). Due to this, what makes T.namibiensis special?
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Bacteria are single-celled organisms, but that doesn’t mean they lack the ability to coordinate and work together. Myxococcus xanthus travel in a wandering swarm that scientists refer to as a “____”. On finding a victim, the swarm release antibiotics to paralyse it and then release digestive enzymes to break it down. What is the term, which refers to an animal that travels in groups led by an alpha male when hunting?
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These bacteria cause black blisters and is spread by contact with the bacterium’s spores. Although the bacteria have killed thousands of people and animals, only recently has it kindled major interest after some countries developed it as a bioweapon. The bacteria also lends its name to the only band from the East Coast of the U.S. in the ‘Big Four’ of thrash metal bands. What is the name?
9 / 10 |
Acidithiobacillus bacteria are usually found in mines and live off sulphur, iron and pyrite. They are responsible for the characteristic sparkle in caves. They digest these metals and excrete a liquid that dissolves limestone, creating tiny gypsum crystals in the process. What does Acidithiobacillus excrete that your chemistry teacher would have sternly asked you to stay away from in school?
10 / 10 |
Magnetospirillum magneticum are bacterium that collect iron, and make magnetite nanocrystals that are arranged in a straight line. This leads to the bacteria being naturally aligned by the action of Earth. The bacterium then follows this line up and down without getting lost, knowing exactly where it was. What device which humans only learnt to use in 200 BC have these bacteria been emulating for millions of years, earning them this nickname?
