Bacterial taxonomy

Bacterial taxonomy is like a big family tree. Each bacteria belong to a different family and each family is put into a different group or "genus", like siblings in a family tree. Scientists look at how different bacteria look, their shapes, and the things that they do to figure out what family they belong to. Some bacteria are very similar to each other in terms of looks, behaviors, and genetics, so they are put into the same family. Other bacteria are very different, so they are put into their own family. This way, scientists can learn more about the different types of bacteria and how they are related to each other.