Soil:Micro – A free data-based virtual reality experience of soil at a microbial scale

Soil ecologists face a particular challenge in visualizing the environment that soil organisms inhabit, as it is both opaque and microscopic. We have developed a virtual reality (VR) experience of a soil at a microbial scale, based on a micro-computed tomography scan of a real soil. The VR app Soil:Micro is designed for a head-mounted display and could be used in educational and public outreach settings. Users travel through a series of stations where they can explore the soil environment as they learn about soil as a habitat for soil microbes. We hope that this tool inspires interest in and knowledge about soils, helping both to combat “soil blindness” in the general public and also to inspire soil ecologists to see these complex ecosystems in new ways. • We present Soil:Micro, a virtual reality experience of soil at a microbial scale. • The VR soil environment is derived from micro-computed tomography data of a real soil. • We include suggestions for use of the tool in educational and outreach settings.