Your Adventure Starts Here

Enter the microbial world!

Follow our different types of activities to find out more about bacteria, how they make us sick, and why antibiotic resistance is such a problem.

You can take the adventure trail step by step. Or investigate the topics in any order you like.

You’re in charge! 😃

1: The Secret of Life 🧬

An Introduction to Life – Find out about what bacterial, plant and animal cells look like.

A Timeline of Evolution – From the beginning of time itself to the last Western Black Rhino in Africa.

2: An Introduction to Microbiology 🔬

So What Is Microbiology? – There is a hidden world beyond what we can see with our naked eyes… click and find out about micro-organisms!

How Small Are We Talking? – Can you guess which organisms are the smallest and biggest?

Let's Meet Bacteria – Bacteria are among the most common and important living things on the planet. Click and say hello!

Inside Bacteria – They may not look like much on the outside, but inside they are like a factory of different parts, all working together.

3: A Microbial World 🦠

Humans: An 'All You Can Eat' Buffet – Find out about the bacteria that live in and on us and keep us healthy.

It's a Numbers Game – Learn how bacteria grow, and how they can produce incredibly large number of cells within a few hours...

Grow Your Own Microbes – Take a look at the bacteria that are on your skin and live in your mouth, ears and nose - and that sit on the dirty screen of your mobile phone.

Microbes and the Environment – Bacteria play an important role in how our planet works - find out how.

4: When Bacteria Make Us Sick 🤒

Bacterial Infections – So what exactly happens when we get sick?

Timeline 'R' Us – Explore devastating infections through the ages, alongside crucial scientific discoveries to help control them.

Magic Bullets – Find out how antibiotics work and how we can use them to treat infections.

Do the Emoji quiz – What kind of antibiotics are there? What do they do? And why do they have to have such complicated names?

5: Antibiotic Resistance 💊

Antibiotic Resistance – When our treatments against bacterial infections suddenly stop working.

How Antibiotic Resistance Spreads – Find out how superbugs emerge and spread between people and around the world.

Global Pandemic – Explore our simulation to understand how certain infections can cause devastating pandemics.

6: Vaccines 💉

Introduction to Immunology – An overview of how our immune system fights infections.

Vaccination – Find out what vaccines are and how they work.

7: More Stuff! 🖨️

Superbugs Wordle – Try to solve our 'Wordle' puzzles in as few attempts as possible.

Downloads – Extra info and activities to print and keep.


➡️ Being A Scientist

The world needs scientists – but what do they actually do?

➡️ Story Time

Enjoy the fascinating stories behind some of the most important scientific and medical discoveries in human history.