Arlene B.

Daro
2014-55735

EDH 110 HW
Sept. 7, 2016
Reflection Paper

When I knew that our class has a field trip, I was excited even though I dont know what
we are going to do and where we are going to go. Teacher Ichie told us that it would be in NSRI,
I was awed because I havent been there in my entire stay in UP. She told us about the things that
the past EDH 110 students did, and through that I was captivated since I am interested in
microscopes and using them to see different organisms that I dont see with the naked eye, but I
know they are there.
The trip/talk started with the speaker telling us that microbes are everywhere. They are
literally everywhere in the atmosphere, ecosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
Also, microbes are abundant. It is said that there are 1 billion times more microbes on Earth than
stars in the universe. Hearing the word microorganisms, I always think of the damages they
cause more than the benefits that they contribute to society. Microorganisms are often related to
diseases like skin infections, digestive system diseases, bacterial infections, viral infections, and
many more. They are also associated to food poisoning and spoilage. Little do we know that
there are also good microorganisms which help us in our daily lives. Microbes aid in nutrient
cycling and decomposing, so that organisms and molecules would be broken down to simpler
molecules for them to be recycled. Microbes are used to make buttermilk, sour cream, cheese,
and yogurt by letting the responsible bacteria go through fermentation. Also, microbes like
Bacillus bacteria, and Penecillium are used to contribute to medicine.
Microbial growth is impossible to eradicate, but we can control it. We have a say on
whether it could infect us or not. Proposed methods were introduced to us for controlling
microbial growth. These are inhibition (limiting microbial growth), sterilization (killing or
removal of viable microorganisms), pasteurization, ionizing radiation, and many more. Microbes
should be controlled in the products that we use, food and water that we take in, environment
that we live in, and our economy. Microorganisms might be very small invisible to our eyes
even, but for such minute creatures they can let us feel that they exist through their effects. We
must always be vigilant and know how to properly clean and disinfect the things we use to
prevent such disease. As they say, prevention is always better than cure.