Microbes Around Us: Sampling Results

During the Science Festival, participants acted as “microbe hunters,” sampling surfaces across the exhibition space to explore microbial diversity in everyday environments. They demonstrated notable creativity in site selection, collecting samples from a broad range of locations, including shoe soles and cosmetic testers in a makeup store.

Here are some results:

For full-size images, right-click the image and select ‘Open in new window/tab’

1.
Sample ID: 13, 14, 15
Location of sample: Åhlens
Description of sample: Cosmetic tester or product (13 perfume, 14 lipstick, 15 foundation)
Comment: There one bacteria colony clearly visible of the plate 13, and a few bacterial colonies on the plate 15 that are not so easy to see on the photo.

2.
Sample ID: 05
Location of sample:
Description of sample: Parmesan Cheese
Comment: No bacteria grew on this plate most likely because bacteria in Parmesan cheese prefers a different type of media and anaerobic conditions.

3.
Sample ID: 06, 07, 08
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: 06 Car door handle, 07 Shoe sole, 08 Escalator railing
Comment:

4.
Sample ID: 04
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: The bottom of my shoe
Comment:

5.
Sample ID: 03
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Door handle
Comment:

6.
Sample ID: 02
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Escalator rail swab
Comment:

7.
Sample ID: 12
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Escalator rail swab
Comment:

8.
Sample ID: 11
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Cell phone screen
Comment:

9.
Sample ID: 10
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Phone
Comment:

10.
Sample ID: 22
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Carpet
Comment:

11.
Sample ID: 25
Location of sample: Nordstan
Description of sample: Underside of my dad’s shoe
Comment:

12.
Sample ID: 24
Location of sample: A bouncing ball
Description of sample: Bouncy
Comment:

13.
Sample ID: 23
Location of sample: In a shoe
Description of sample: A shoe (new) from DinSko
Comment:

14.
Sample ID: 21
Location of sample:
Description of sample: Escalator handle
Comment:

15.
Sample ID: 20
Location of sample: Nordstan galleria
Description of sample: I samples a pencil because many people touch pens
Comment:

16.
Sample ID: 16
Location of sample: Sweden, Gothenburg, Nordstan
Description of sample: My phone
Comment:

17.
Sample ID: 17
Location of sample: Nordstan, Gothenburg
Description of sample: The soft part of the VR glasses on GRIDH’s exhibition
Comment:

18.
Sample ID: 09
Location of sample: Nordstan (Vetenskapsfestivalen)
Description of sample: My personal phone screen
Comment: