Page 43 - The Microworld Miracle

much the same way that living bacteria have been found in bricks
on the facade of the Temple of Luxor, built in Egypt 3,400 years ago,
200-million, 320-million and even 720-million-year-old living bacte-
ria have also been discovered in blocks of rock salt. Bacteria have
even been encountered at heights of 20,000 meters (65,620 feet)
above sea level. 19
The most astonishing example is the bacterial spores from a 25-

million-year-old fossil bee, trapped in pine resin, that have sur-
vived down to the present day. These spores, extracted under ster-
ile conditions in the laboratory, were placed in culture and began
growing and multiplying even after such an enormously long peri-
od of time. 20
The sporulation process is a method of protection employed

by nearly all microorganisms. When conditions become unsuitable,
some of them use sporulation to rise into the air to protect them-

Bacillius
species ena-
ble spore
formation by
surrounding
their off-
spring cells
in a protein
sheath. The
cells whose HARUN YAHYA
interiors are
shown in
green are
those that
will develop
into spores. (ADNAN OKTAR)

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