Joyful Microbe

The K-12 curriculum does not cover microbiology much at all. But this area of science matters. Children need a complete understanding of the microorganisms that play roles in our health, like the microbiome, and diseases, like germs. That way, they’ll carry these concepts into adulthood, ultimately helping keep them healthier. Despite the lack of microbiology education in K-12, some high schools o...

How do you explain microbiology to a child?  It’s an abstract topic since you can’t readily see microbes due to their size. So, to help your kids visualize microbes, you can read them a children’s book specifically about microbiology.  I’ve featured a few excellent microbiology books for kids before on Joyful Microbe. But after I found out about Dr. Mike Manefield, a microbiologist who writes chil...

The words bacteria and beauty are not usually associated. But some bacteria make beautiful colors that span the entire rainbow. And one type of bacteria called Streptomyces coelicolor makes an antibiotic with a lovely blue pigment. This blue-colored antibiotic, called actinorhodin, inspired microbiologist Dr. Vineetha Zacharia, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley st...

Dr. Sarah Wettstadt is the founder of the BacterialWorld blog and loves sharing about bacteria and all of the amazing things they do in the world. So I know you’ll enjoy hearing this episode where we talk about the superpowers bacteria have and how bacteria can help us save the world. In this episode, you will learn about… 4 bacterial superpowers 3 ways bacteria can help save the planet How bacter...

If it rained where you are today, you may have noticed that delightful earthy smell. It’s wonderful, right? Well, you can thank microbes for making a chemical called geosmin. But what is geosmin, what microbes make it, and why? Here, I’ll answer those questions, share a few places you may encounter geosmin without realizing it, and hopefully not disappoint you too much when I reveal the context wh...

The field of microbiology spans many areas of study, with some focusing on microbes living in different environments, like the ocean, the desert, the soil, and...space.  Microbes actually can survive in space. But what types of microbes do this? And how?  So, I talked with space microbiologist Marta Cortesão about her research and asked her these questions about microbes that live in space. In thi...

What’s something from the microbial world you can go outside and almost be guaranteed to see? I’ll give you a hint. They are those gray, green, yellow, orange, red, and other colorful splotches on trees and rocks. I once even saw one while I was mountain biking. It was growing on an old boot! Those are lichens. But what are these things we call lichens? And what are they doing hanging out on rocks...

We talk about microbes on this podcast. But let’s face it. If you don’t see a picture of them, it’s difficult to imagine what’s going on in the microbial world. That’s why microscopy is so helpful. It allows us to actually see the invisible communities of bacteria, fungi, algae, viruses, archaea, and protozoa. But sometimes, art does a better job of representing the microbial world and all of its...

Imagine the last time you were sick and needed antibiotics...now imagine that you took the antibiotic, but the infection didn’t go away. The antibiotic didn’t work. And then the next one didn’t. And then the next one, all the way until none of them worked. It happens. And although I’ve never personally experienced this, I’d think it would be terrifying. What would you do? Recently, some doctors ha...

What if doctors could use microbes to treat infections? It might seem counterintuitive at first because, well, aren’t the microbes the problem?  Not really. Our bodies have microbes living in and on them, which is a good thing. These organisms, called the human microbiome, help keep us healthy. Because of the amazing benefits of having these microorganisms as a part of us, why couldn’t we try and...

The mouth is an ecosystem full of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and protozoa. Although this ecosystem contains many different microbes, in this podcast episode, I’ll be focusing on bacteria. The human mouth is home to hundreds of bacterial species. But what role do they play in tooth decay? And how can we prevent it? In this episode, you will learn about… The oral microbiota: a microbial ecosystem...

When you picture a microbiologist, what do you imagine? Someone looking through a microscope? Maybe someone in a lab doing research? In your mind, are they wearing a white coat? Microbiologists work in so many different types of jobs. You might be surprised about some of the places you will find microbiologists working. So, I brought my friend Shelli Nauman on the Joyful Micobe podcast to share th...

Do you love audiobooks? How about audiobooks about microbes? Finding time to sit down and read a book can be difficult. But audiobooks provide the perfect solution to this dilemma, allowing you to read books and learn on the go. It’s great that you can read books while doing the boring stuff like getting ready in the morning, doing the dishes, cleaning the house, or driving somewhere. So many opti...

How do you get people interested in microbiology? Microbiology can be quite abstract since it is the study of organisms we most of the time cannot see without the aid of a microscope.  Someone who has a passion for helping people discover a love for microbes is Dr. Dave Westenberg. I brought Dave onto the Joyful Microbe podcast because of his passion for microbiology education. He is a professor o...

Did you know that microbes live in some surprising places like hot springs, inside of salt, and at the bottom of the ocean? These organisms that love extreme environments are called extremophiles. Dr. Adrienne Kish is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle) in Paris, France. As an extremophile microbiologist, she s...

Do you ever notice fungi in your daily life? They are everywhere.  Dr. Matt Kasson came on the Joyful Microbe podcast to tell us how awesome fungi are and how we can enjoy them in our daily lives. He is an Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Mycology at West Virginia University that studies fungal diseases in forests, how millipedes interact with fungi, and how we can use fungi to control i...

Join microbiologist Justine Dees, PhD on a journey into the microbial world. The Joyful Microbe podcast is a show all about the microbes we encounter in our daily lives. In this episode, she introduces herself, explains why she is creating this podcast, and tells what the Joyful Microbe will be about. JOYFUL MICROBE SHOW NOTES: https://joyfulmicrobe.com/joyful-microbe-podcast-intro/ JOYFUL MICROBE...