Bacteria are the earliest form of life. At 0.5 to 5 micrometres (1 µm = the thousandth part of a mm), they are many times larger than viruses and occur as single-celled microorganisms in spherical, rod or screw form. Bacteria-like, even tinier microorganisms (without cell walls) are known as phytoplasmas. It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of species, of which only about 5,000 are known. There are around 10 to 100 trillion bacteria in the human body (most of which are essential for life), weighing between 0.2 and 2 kg. In contrast to viruses (which have no metabolism and require a host such as a bacterium), bacteria reproduce by cell division.
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The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena