Methanogen

A methanogen is a tiny living creature that makes a gas called methane. You might know methane as the gas that you use to cook your food on the stove or that the cows make when they burp. Methanogens are so small that you can't see them with your own eyes, but they are really important for the environment.

Methanogens live in places where there is no oxygen, like the bottom of lakes and oceans or in the guts of animals like cows and termites. They eat things like dead plants and animals or other tiny living creatures. When they eat these things, they produce methane gas as waste. This methane gas can be used to make energy, just like how you can use gasoline to power a car.

Even though methanogens are really small, they play a big role in the environment. They help to break down dead things and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. Methanogens also help to make natural gas, which is an important energy source for people. So, even though you might never see a methanogen, they are doing important work all around us.