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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Encyclopaedias & reference works > General encyclopaedias
Microbiology is the study of the invisible world of microorganisms,
organisms so small that microscopes and other special equipment are
needed to directly observe them. They play a crucial role in
maintaining the Earth's atmosphere and help decompose organic
matter. Microbiology plays a role in a great variety of areas,
including optimizing soil for agriculture, developing preservatives
and pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering, and developing climate
change models. The discovery of microbes was instrumental in
controlling infectious disease outbreaks that had, for centuries,
wiped out entire populations.
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