THE INVISIBLE, RICH AND COLOURFUL WORLD OF BACTERIA – a lecture for middle school kids.
Educational material title: “Bacteria and their role in healing the environment” – environmental microbial communities, their importance to our lives and how we can exploit them for a more sustainable world". |
Subject of the lesson: The invisible, but rich and colorful, world of microbes. Environmental microbial communities, their importance for our life and how we can exploit them for a more sustainable world. |
Overall Objectives: To explain the basics of environmental microbiology and the concept of bioremediation/revitalization as a pollution mitigation strategy. |
Specific Objectives: To explain the importance of bacteria to human lives and the environment and the exploitation of microbial consortia for bioremediation and sustainability. |
CHECK LESSONS ON BACTERIA:
“If you don’t like bacteria, you're on the wrong planet.” - Stewart Brandt
The number of bacteria on Earth is approximately 100 million times greater than the number of stars in the universe, with an estimated tens of millions of different species. Bacteria are the smallest single-celled organisms on our planet, ranging in size from 0.2 µm to about 10 µm. Their cells come in various shapes, which often give them their names, including spherical-shaped cocci, elongated rods and bacilli, and spiral-shaped vibrios, spirilla, and spirochetes. The shapes of bacterial cells and the appearance of their colonies are characteristic features of specific bacterial species.
Bacteria, whether alone or in communities, have evolved to colonize every environment on Earth. They are part of every ecosystem, found in water, soil, and air. Due to their microscopic size, they can be easily transported by air currents on dust particles or in water droplets. Each bacterial species has specific requirements regarding substrate type, ambient temperature, and oxygen availability. Many bacteria live on or inside organisms, where they find the right temperature, moisture, and sufficient food supply.
Some bacterial species are found in extreme conditions, such as on cold glaciers and in hot springs. They are also found in ocean depths where high pressure prevails and in the upper layers of the atmosphere. They exist in radioactively contaminated areas and inside volcanoes; they have even been isolated from oil deposits. The colonization of such diverse environments is possible due to their ability to reproduce quickly and adapt to changing conditions. As a result, every environment is inhabited by specific types of bacteria that differ in their requirements, methods of nutrition, and respiration.
BIOREMEDIATION - exploit the bacteria to repair the damage done by us
Not only can bacteria survive in harsh and polluted environments, but they can also "DECONTAMINATE" these environments. Bacteria can repair damage caused by human activity through an innovative, nature-based method called bioremediation.
BIOREMEDIATION is a vital component of the bioeconomy, providing sustainable solutions for environmental clean-up and contributing to the restoration of ecosystems. Its integration with other elements of the bioeconomy can lead to more comprehensive and innovative approaches to managing biological resources and addressing environmental challenges.
This method uses, among others, microorganisms to detoxify, degrade, or remove contaminants in soil, water, and air, such as oil and its derivatives, solvents, and plastic polymers, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability and economic benefits.
NYMPHE EDUCATIONAL PROJECT – lessons at schools
The NYMPHE project warmly encourages everyone to download our educational presentation and lesson plan for pupils. Use these materials to introduce children to the colorful world of bacteria and explore this fascinating and crucial topic together.
What can you find in this materials?
Bacteria – what are they?
How can we observe bacteria?
What do bacteria need to live?
How can we utilize bacteria for a more sustainable world?
What are the benefits of bioremediation?
NYMPHE project
Nymphe is a four years European project dedicated to tackling environmental pollution by developing innovative bioremediation solutions.
The ambition is to remove multiple pollutants (such as microplastics and pesticides in the agricultural soil, and chlorinated solvents and petroleum hydrocarbon in groundwater and sediments in the industrial area) from different contaminated sites in Europe. Nymphe’s actions will improve the ecological quality and health of soils and waters. Our nature-based, low-energy and low-chemical solutions to eliminate pollutants will contribute to the expected outcomes of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan.
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