Yeast is an essential component in many foods that we consume on a daily basis, although some people may not be aware of it. It is also used in medicine as a raw material for producing certain medications. Moreover, yeast plays a crucial role in the creation of numerous traditional dishes and beverages from different cultures.

1. Yeast is actually a type of single-celled fungus, and there are approximately 1500 different species of yeast found in nature.

2. The invention of yeast bread can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

3. Yeast is sometimes added to popcorn, giving it a unique cheesy flavor.

4. In the state of Oregon, yeast is an official symbol. This is not surprising considering that Oregon earns billions of dollars annually from beer production.

5. While in captivity, Soviet physician Lev Zilber managed to make yeast from moss, and from these yeast cultures, he created a primitive yet effective medicine that saved the lives of several hundred prisoners.

6. A typical packet of baking yeast, which can be purchased at any supermarket, contains about a billion yeast cells.

7. Scientists have successfully decoded the yeast genome.

8. Yeast is used in the production of ethanol, an environmentally friendly biofuel.

9. A yeast colony, when provided with sufficient food, can live for a considerable amount of time, although the lifespan of an individual yeast cell does not exceed a few days.

10. Brewing and winemaking processes would be impossible without yeast.