Page 16 - Introduction to Microbiology

Microorganisms

• Number of known stars in the Milky Way galaxy

multiplied by number of known galaxies in the

24
universe = a septillion (1 X 10 )

• Number of microbial cells in the Earth’s oceans

30
– estimated at 1 nonillion (1 X 10 )

• Include soil, air and organism-associated

environments – unimaginable number!