Includes bibliographical references and index.

Enter into the mysterious, wondrous, weird, and beautiful world of the first life on Earth.

From their humble beginnings in the ocean, bacteria have spread across the planet to live virtually everywhere: in rocks, in salt crystals, on Himalayan peaks, in deep-sea vents, and in animals' guts. They are able to "sleep" for millions of years before becoming active again; to maintain immune systems; and to live - hypothetically - in worlds beyond our own.

Ludger Wess gives a captivating and concise introduction to fifty of the most notable bacteria species. They include record holders (the largest, the longest, the smallest), those living in extreme conditions (high pressure, high temperature, high acidity), those thriving in human-created environments (radiation, crude oil, plastics), and those that benefit humans (making cheese) and harm humans (causing food poisoning). Each is a fascinating glimpse into the astonishing microscopic world that lives all around and within us.

(From the back cover)