What you’ll learn to do: Identify common prokaryotes that are beneficial to humans

Not all prokaryotes are pathogenic. On the contrary, pathogens represent only a very small percentage of the diversity of the microbial world. In fact, our life would not be possible without prokaryotes. Just think about the role of prokaryotes in biogeochemical cycles. Prokaryotes and other microscopic organisms also play important direct roles in human lives, including processing food, breaking down environmental contaminants, and influencing human health.