Question: are microorganisms bad? If so why?

This is a great question! Not all microorganisms are bad—in fact, many are incredibly beneficial and essential to life on Earth. Harmful microorganisms (and the ones we tend to hear more about in the media) can cause disease in humans, animals or plants. Some examples you may have heard of are Bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Salmonella), viruses (e.g., influenza, HIV, COVID), fungi (e.g., Candida), and parasites (e.g. Malaria). We find these microorganisms in lots of places. They can be in air we breathe or in food and drink.