Microbial Culture Collections: Living Treasures of the Invisible World

Microbial culture collections are like a zoo, but instead of animals, they contain tiny living microbes. You cannot see these organisms with your eyes, but they can grow in special containers for many years, with food provided by scientists. Why do we keep the microbes? Microbes help us make medicines, clean the environment, and even make delicious foods such as yogurt and cheese. Some of the most exciting places to look for new microbes no one has seen before are areas on Earth that few people have explored, like the Arctic. But climate change threatens our tiny and important friends. That is why scientists are rushing to collect and study them before it is too late. In this article, you will learn about different types of microbes in culture collections and how scientists find them, even in the coldest corners of our planet.