Microbes may be miniscule, but they have a massive impact on Earth and its habitability. They are uniquely different from animals, plants, and other eukaryotic organisms in that they can gain energy from “breathing” a surprisingly wide range of surfaces and materials. Microbes also drastically reshape their environment as they feast on these energy sources, making microbes major players in the cycling and availability of nutrients on Earth. One especially well-known example was the rise of oxygen on Earth due to the metabolism of photosynthetic bacteria.
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Source: Phys.org