Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Thu, 16 Oct 2003 12:41:49 -0400 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
I don't know how they did the activity
but we prototyped this as an exhibit years ago.
You have to have a way of visualizing the
bacteria on your hand before and after the
"washing". We did it with agar containing petri
dishes but it takes a a day or so to culture the
microorganisms on your hand this way. There maybe
harmless dyes that you can use so this can become
a program.
If you use soap and water the effect is not so
great; microorganisms sequester themselves in the
creases and crevices of your skin. In fact
surgeons who use strong bactericidal soaps and
vigorous brushing still use sterile gloves as a
physical barrier.
I would be very careful about the message you are
conveying so that you don't play into the fears
that folks have about "germs". In the context of
growing on your skin the microbes are not
dangerous. The skin is a good physical barrier
and many bacteria on skin keep other more harmful
bacteria from gaining a food hold. The second
barrier is our immune system that is very
effective against many, many microorganisms if
they penetrate the skin though an abrasion or
cut. Another point I would suggest to make is
that of the huge number of microorganisms that we
know about and the greater number that we do not
know about only about 1% are harmful. The rest
are beneficial or benign. In fact many bacteria
in side us are essential to are well being. Grem
free animals do not survive well. So I think you
need to put the bacteria that live on our skin
into perspective.
Let me know if you need any more information or help.
>
>Greetings,
>
>A few years ago at the ASTC Conference some educators presented an activity
>where visitors test regular soap, bleach water, antibacterial soap, and
>antibacterial gel to determine which of these things are effective. I would
>like to introduce this program into our educational offerings but
>unfortunately I can't remember what the different substances were tested on
>and some of the other logistics needed for carrying out this activity. If
>anyone has done this or is doing this, I would greatly appreciate a little
>email assistance. Thanks much.
>
>Eric
>
>Eric Meyer
>Science Educator
>ˇexplora! Science Center and Children's Museum of Albuquerque
>2100 Louisiana NE #98
>Albuquerque, NM 87110
>505-842-1537 ext. 21
>[log in to unmask]
>
>***********************************************************************
>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>[log in to unmask]
--
Martin Weiss, Ph.D.
Director of Science
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111 th Street
Corona, New York 11368
phone: 718 699 0005 x 356
facsimile:718 699 1341
[log in to unmask]
http://www.nyhallsci.org
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
|
|