Tiny Earth Project

There are so many people out there who have been turned down for treatment because of a shortage of antibiotics. Simultaneously there are diseases out there that could be cured with some simple discovery into the earth. Believe it or not, many antibiotics are found right on the dirt we walk on everyday. This is where the Tiny Earth Project comes in. With the Tiny Earth Project, we look at our environment to find possible inhibitors of different pathogens, for example, staph epidermidis or e. Coli. In this project, students collect soil samples from different places, isolate the bacteria, and screen them for the possibility to inhibit the growth of certain pathogens. The project combines learning with discovery and engages students into the world of microbiology.