We know that there are thousands of bacteria and viruses on the earth, and there are many unknown bacteria and viruses. There is a kind of bacteria that we are all afraid of, that is-bacterial spores.

    Bacillus, Clostridium and other bacteria will produce dormant bodies when encountering harsh environments-endospores, also known as endospores, are dormant bodies of bacteria, just like certain animals enter hibernation in winter. These spores have much higher ability to survive in unfavorable environments than other bacteria, viruses and microorganisms, and they are the most resistant biological dormant body.

    How strong can spores be? It limits the sterilization methods in biomedicine on its own. In other words, if a physical or chemical method can kill all spores, it can also kill all bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms. Spores are not afraid of high temperature, radiation and toxic chemicals. Some spores can dormant silently for decades from the moment they are born, until they encounter a suitable living environment and then grow into normal bacteria.

    In 1995, an article in the "Science" article said: Scientists isolated a spore from the intestine of a bee preserved in a piece of amber, with a history of 25-40 million years ago. They tried to cultivate this spore, but they didn't expect it to be alive. This "strong spore" is produced by a bacillus called Bacillus sphaericus.、

    Spores can also pose a great health threat, especially when the bacteria are harmful to humans and animals. The most well-known is Bacillus anthracis (Bacillus anthracis). Bacillus anthracis can infect the skin, intestines and respiratory tracts of domestic animals and humans, causing anthrax. Its symptoms include skin ulcers, diarrhea, colds, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Even after receiving regular and effective treatment, the fatality rate is still as high as 80%. During World War I and World War II, a handful of countries made the spore a weapon of war, causing unrecoverable damage to countless civilians.

    Recently, in a study published in "Nature Neuroscience", researchers at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Cologne in Germany found that the deadly toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis may be able to solve an important Medical problem: control pain. We know that the drugs currently on sale: aspirin, ibuprofen, etc., can relieve pain, but are prone to risk of addiction. Studies have found that when Bacillus anthracis infects the human body, it releases substances that block pain signals. Although large black ulcers have appeared on the skin of the infected person, the patient does not feel pain. The researchers warned everyone that the safety of this toxin treatment must be carefully monitored, because the anthrax toxin itself is toxic, and the blood-brain barrier of our body will be destroyed. This will cause many toxic molecules, proteins and drugs to harm the brain. , The damage caused is immeasurable, so pay attention to the amount.

    This is the fulfillment of the old Chinese saying: "Everything is a double-edged sword." We must use it properly to prevent ourselves from being hurt by the "sword."