Micro-organisms are microscopic organisms that are either single-celled or multi-cellular. The study of microorganisms is called microbiology, which began with Antonie van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microbes in 1675 using his own microscope. Bacteria constitute a large domain of prokaryotic micro-organisms, typically a few micrometers in length and found in a variety of shapes. Bacteria were some of the first life forms on Earth and are found in most habitats including soil, water, hot springs, radioactive waste, and deep within the Earth's crust, as well as in symbiotic and parasitic relationships with plants and animals.