Little Pedro was somewhat sceptical when he heard that baker’s yeast contains living yeasts. He was even more surprised to learn that these are living single-celled fungi. After all, this was something he had eaten in his bread that very morning...

But this was precisely one of the main aims of International Microorganism Day, which brought more than 1,200 primary and secondary school students to the Universidade Católica Portuguesa campus in Porto: to discover how science works and where it can take us.

Organised by the Faculty of Biotechnology, the event is one of the most eagerly awaited science outreach initiatives in the school calendar in northern Portugal. From 9:30 am to 5 pm, the gardens of Católica in Porto filled with classes ranging from 5th grade to secondary school, all eager to discover the invisible, yet absolutely essential, world of microorganisms.

Microbes that shape everyday life

Bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses are rarely viewed in a positive light. International Microorganism Day set out to challenge precisely that perception, showing how these microscopic organisms are indispensable to life on Earth.

Throughout the day, lecturers and researchers from the School of Biotechnology and the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF) led practical activities exploring the role of microorganisms in three major areas.

The programme began with the environment and the contribution of microbes to water and soil quality, moved on to food, food production and food safety, and concluded with health, including the balance of the gut and skin microbiomes.

Each class took part in eight different scientific experiments, complemented by opportunities to explore the activities freely. And there was certainly no shortage of engaging and entertaining experiences.

After all, who wouldn't enjoy playing “Microbiome Bingo”, making their own kombucha, discovering what “Tenebrios on the Loose” are, looking through a paper microscope or learning which fungi are found in those delicious cheeses that can sometimes be less than inviting to the nose?

The event was attended by Porto City Council's Councillor for Education, Matilde Rocha, and Ivone Fachada, from the leadership team of the Ciência Viva agency. According to Fachada, “there is no better way to awaken an interest in the world of science than by speaking directly with the people who make science and having the opportunity to gain practical experience of the applications of microbiology in our daily lives”.

Serious science, playful learning

The format of International Microorganism Day is based on a simple but effective idea: bringing laboratory science closer to the sensory and hands-on experience of younger students. Rather than attending theoretical classes, participants had direct contact with laboratory equipment, observed microbial cultures and explored, in practice, concepts that can often seem abstract in school textbooks.

“This edition of International Microorganism Day was a great success, with expectations clearly exceeded. We had more students, more teachers and more researchers involved in a record number of activities. And no one demonstrates this better than our visitors when they ask to do ‘just one more activity’.” (Joana Barbosa, organizer and CBQF researcher)

At the end of the visit, a competition allowed the most attentive students to be rewarded, reinforcing the playful and competitive nature of an experience designed to make their visit to the university memorable.

“As rewarding as seeing the smiles on the students’ faces is seeing the trust that many teachers already place in us and in this event. Many have been entrusting us with their students on this day for several years, and we can see how they prepare them for the visit, so that it is not simply another ‘school trip’, but a day of genuine learning outside the classroom.” (Joana Cristina Barbosa, organizer and CBQF researcher)

For many participants, this may have been their first visit to a real biotechnology laboratory and, for some, their first encounter with a potential future academic path in the field.