Eeww! Are you sure you want to touch this? Germs have been present around humans since and before their discovery. Who discovered germs and what are germs? How do germs make us sick and are we winning the war against germs? Today we use too many antibacterial soaps and cleansers. This causes germs to mutate to the point that it is almost impossible to kill them. Let's explore the amazing world of germs and find the answers to these questions. According to Dr. Kelly Reynolds, Louis Pasteur, a Frenchman, began exploring the mysterious world of germs in 1850. Dr. Reynolds notes that he was approached by a beer manufacturing company because some of their beer vats were turning sour. Dr. Reynolds says Pasteur used a microscope to analyze the beer samples and found thousands of microorganisms. Dr. Reynolds noted that his theory was that these microbes (germs) were not the result of the sourness of the beer, but were the cause. Dr. Reynolds tells us this from his experiments with liquids; Pasteur became convinced that the air contained tiny living organisms invisible to the naked eye. He also discovered that these germs could be killed by heat. Learningaboutgerms.com notes that his proof of this theory led to our current "pasteurized milk." Pasteur also believed that these microbes could spread disease among humans as well. This is called the “germ theory of disease.” Pasteur continued his work researching ways to protect humans from disease (Dr. Reynolds, Kelly). There are three different types of germs: viruses, bacteria and fungi. There are thousands of species, strains and families of each category of germs. The Center for Disease Control believes that viruses are the smallest and simplest form of germ. Unlike bacteria, viruses... middle of paper ... with germs rather than life. Works cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Web. April 2, 2014. Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, San Francisco Department of Public Health Sfcdp.org/germs. WebDr. Reynolds, Kelley. Learningaboutgerms.com.arizona.eduIrish, Paul. “The world is coming to London, and so are the germs. Toronto Star (Canada): Newspaper Source Plus.web. April 3, 2014 Minnesota Department of Health." Hand Hygiene. Web. April 2, 2014. Nordenberg, Tamar. "Miracle Drugs Vs, Super Bugs." FDA consumer 32.6 (1998): 22 . Health source-consumer Edition.Web.April 3, 2014Tierno, Phillip. The Secret Life of Germs New York, Atria Book, 2001. PrintZimmerman, Barry E. and Zimmerman, David J. Germs, microbes and diseases that threaten humanity. Illinois: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1996.print