Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms that are typically a few micrometers in length. They have a variety of shapes ranging from spheres to rods and spirals. Bacteria are divided into two domains, Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria were some of the earliest life forms on Earth and are found in most environments including soil, water, and symbiotically or parasitically with plants and animals. They were first observed by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1676 using microscopy.