MicroArtBiome

Microbes are all around us, doing things that help the planet, such as eating pollutants and recycling nutrients to help plants grow bigger and better. Microbial fermentation can even improve the quality and shelf-life of food, from kimchi to chocolate. Microbes can be fed with renewable resources and grown in tanks the size of a swimming pool to produce valuable products like biofuels and biodegradable plastics. Microbes are also inside and on our bodies (we have as many microbial cells as we do human cells), and, while occasionally they may lead to disease, our personal microbiome keeps us healthy.

In summary, microbial activities are central to solving global problems, such as pollution, food and fuel insecurity and climate change.

However, we rarely see microbes directly, and so it can be difficult to appreciate how much they help us. So, here are a few ways in which you can visualize the invisible and start to explore the microbes that are all around us.

For a more detailed account of how we can explore microbes via school excursions, including the educational benefits and some tips for teachers running excursions, please see: https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13576