I'm growing bacteria!

[Chickerdoodle13]

Haha, that's right! I'm growing a bacteria culture for my lab next week. It's pretty neat. We were allowed to choose whatever we wanted as long as it wasn't a contagion, so I took some water from my apple snail tank and swabbed the petri dish we were given. I did that yesterday and already there were little white things growing all over it. I had to put it in the refridgerator though, because it started to smell a little funny! I hope it doesn't start smelling too bad! Otherwise I will have to stick it out in the hallway! LOL I'm really excited to find out what we are going to do with them next week. I also want to find out what everybody else did!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sounds like fun! We took swabs of bacteria from all over the school... guess where the most bacterial colonies were found? The drinking fountain push button!!!

Won't believe the least, the toilet seat....

However, this just selected for bacteria that could grow on plain agar gel and was visible after 3 days.

Then in another lab we took bacteria off our noses and tested for antibiotic resistance, which there was alot of. Luckily, 99.9% of bacteria are good and thrives so that the one bad cell can't take over and make us sick. One way to prevent bacterial infection is to inoculate with "good" bacteria!

Have fun! That stuff is great.

 

[d.k]

* We did that when I was in 3rd grade-- Teacher had to STOP ME!! All the other kids did about 3 maybe; she told me I couldn't do any more---- after I did 2O!!! SOOO FUN!! And-- now you already know why things sometimes smell bad, right?? (Like the clothes I forgot in the washer yesterday & have to re-wash!

 

[claud]

Are you going to identify the bacteria in the culture? Then it gets really interesting! The "poopy" bacteria generally smell the worst. Have fun!

 

[lacyloo]

ewww i think bactiria is posinous?.

but i have heard putting a piece of bread in a ziplock bag and leave it laying around for a while.

 

[Kaneke]

DH is microbiologist -- if you can't ID bacteria, but can post picture, possibly he can diagnose ...

C

(oh yes, there are GOOD bacteria too)

 

[HobbyChickener]

Can talk about Chicken Poo all day but that bacteria stuff is gross!

 

[silkiechicken]

99.9% of bacteria are good things. You WANT to be covered in bacteria as there are some even essential to being able to digest your food! It's just the few bad apples in the bacteria world that spoil the bunch.

With a wet piece of bread in a bag, I'm sure you'll get some bacteria, but I think the main point of that experiment is to grow types of mold.

Just remember if you are growing them, do wash hands because unless identified, there is still that .01% chance you grew a "bad" one.

And even a few bad bacteria in moderation should be fine, you're immune system should take care of most.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Kaneke, How cool about your husband! It must be such an intereswting field of study!

I'm not quite sure what we are doing with them, but I'm sure we will be sticking them under microscope. I will be sure to post pics of my culture though!

I also have pictures of the pigeon dissection I did last week. That was pretty awesome! I have never dissected a bird before, so I was sooo excited to do it! There were also sharks, minks, frogs, newts, rabbits, and rats. Each one was so interesting! The pics are a little graphic, but maybe I will put them up with a warning!