Microorganisms、too embarrassed to ask others about！（Part 2）

2. history of microbiology
Microbes have existed long before humans appeared on the planet. Naturally, our ancestors lived with microorganisms. Since time immemorial, phenomena caused by microorganisms, such as plague and putrefaction, have been well known. Alcoholic beverages have also been known since thousands of years BC. However, since microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye, people at that time did not recognize that these phenomena were caused by the action of organisms similar to themselves.
It is said that it was Antonie van Leeuwenhoek of the Netherlands who observed each microorganism as an individual organism. He observed microorganisms for the first time in history using a handmade microscope in 1674. The magnification of the microscope he used at this time is believed to have been about 200x; 200x is a bit tough to observe bacteria, but he may have had a better eye than most.
With the invention of the microscope, people began to realize that there were tiny "somethings" in nature that were invisible to the naked eye. At the time, however, it was merely a matter of being able to see something unusual, not realizing that it could cause disease, spoil food, or even make yogurt or alcohol. In fact, until about 160 years ago, insects, frogs, and even rats were considered lower life forms and were believed to occur naturally when temperature, food, and other conditions were proper.
In 1861, Louis Pasteur of France published "On Microorganisms in the Air: An Examination of the Theory of Spontaneous Occurrence," rejecting the old theory of spontaneous generation. From there, microbiology has developed as a discipline.