This is reminiscent of a classic trope used to introduce students to some of the more advanced concepts in evolution.
Which is more evolved: a bacterium or a human?
To answer, you have to consider what it means to be "more evolved". A human has been subject to more branchings on the tree of life, but why does the tree of life branch? Usually because there is a new niche to occupy. And what is evolution? It's the process of exploring new niches and becoming "best fit" for a niche. So, humans have explored more niches in biological evolution, but all the while bacteria have instead continually adapted to become better and better fit for their niche.
Ultimately, the consequence of this is that it would be much easier for humans to be evicted from their niche, or for that niche to move just far enough for humans to no longer be able to cope. So, yes, bacteria will be here long, long after we are gone...
But if you really want to talk about ruling the Earth, well, viruses pretty much have that one in the bag. Go down to the sea with a teaspoon and scoop up some water. You'll have around 1 million bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) in that one spoon.
Aren't bacteria move evolved in a sense? Vertebrae are all almost the same. (Or even multicelled organisms.) Bacteria come with much more diversity in genetics and biochemistry.
Which is more evolved: a bacterium or a human?
To answer, you have to consider what it means to be "more evolved". A human has been subject to more branchings on the tree of life, but why does the tree of life branch? Usually because there is a new niche to occupy. And what is evolution? It's the process of exploring new niches and becoming "best fit" for a niche. So, humans have explored more niches in biological evolution, but all the while bacteria have instead continually adapted to become better and better fit for their niche.
Ultimately, the consequence of this is that it would be much easier for humans to be evicted from their niche, or for that niche to move just far enough for humans to no longer be able to cope. So, yes, bacteria will be here long, long after we are gone...
But if you really want to talk about ruling the Earth, well, viruses pretty much have that one in the bag. Go down to the sea with a teaspoon and scoop up some water. You'll have around 1 million bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) in that one spoon.