Site of the Week
The Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/
Learning about wildlife and going to the zoo are both activities which you probably associate with the larger members of the animal kingdom. But over at the DLC-ME, as it is known, you’ll find that it’s microscopic life that’s, well, under the microscope.
The zoo can be explored by clicking on an illustrated overhead view: head for DirtLand and learn about the hidden microorganisms in soil, in our homes, in toxic waste dumps and in the roots of plants. In the Animal Pavilion you can find out about the interactions between microbes and the rest of us: were you aware, for example, that bacterial cells on and in the human body outnumber our own cells? Or that neither cows nor termites could digest their food properly without some very tiny helping hands? Other sections cover aquatic microorganisms, the uses of bacteria and fungi in food production, and the possibility of microbial life on other planets. The Curious Microbe section documents some of the weirder and more wonderful aspects of microbial ecology, including the brilliant story of magnetotactic bacteria which use the Earth’s magnetic field to work out which way is down.
Not all the sections and subsections are completed - some areas have more pictures and information than others - but the site as a whole is a great introduction to wildlife from a completely different perspective. Seems a shame to use all that disinfectant, really.
Richard Northover
Info-content ** Readability ** Appearance ** User friendliness ** Kids ***** Plug-ins none