Microbiology

  Microbiology  microbiology , study of microorganisms, or microbes, a   diverse   group of generally minute simple life-forms that include   bacteria ,   archaea ,   algae ,   fungi ,   protozoa , and   viruses . The field is concerned with the structure, function, and   classification   of such organisms and with ways of both exploiting and controlling their activities. The 17th-century discovery of living forms existing invisible to the naked eye was a significant milestone in the  history of science , for from the 13th century onward it had been postulated that “invisible” entities were responsible for decay and disease. The word  microbe  was coined in the last quarter of the 19th century to describe these organisms, all of which were thought to be related. As microbiology eventually developed into a specialized  science , it was found that microbes are a very large group of extremely diverse organisms....