5 minute lesson
The Beautiful World of Bacteria
Have you ever sat in awe, delighted by the sight of bacteria? No? Well, let’s see if we can change that.
Bacteria, both good and bad, live in almost every environment on the planet. “Good bacteria” are in some of our favorite foods, like cheese and yogurt, keep us alive, and enable ecosystems to thrive.
With all these diverse bacteria populations living out there, cities are a fascinating place to study them. Take New York City for example. People from around the globe are visiting daily and bringing along their personal microbe collections for the ride!
The artist Craig Ward decided to explore the world of bacteria on the New York Subway and what he found was beautiful! Here’s SciFri with more…
Why It Matters
See, bacteria isn’t all gross! If Craig’s work interested you, check out the interactive map he mentioned from the PathoMap Project. Or, if you are more interested in the artsy side of bacteria, go check out the Instagram of Tasha Sturm, the scientist who posted the photo of her son’s handprint that inspired Craig Ward’s bacteria work. Her images are a stunning example of how beautiful the “gross” things in life can be if you take a second to appreciate them!
Making the microbial world visible helps us to understand it better, to fear it less, and come to appreciate how rich our worlds are because of the bacteria around us. We have a lot to thank them for!
Let's Talk About It
SciFri
Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.