Welcome! Meet Dr Glyn Barrett, your lead educator, and learn about the topics you'll be discussing over the next three weeks as you explore the hidden world of microbes.

Current estimates suggest there could be at least 1 billion different species of microbe on Earth, yet these can all be grouped into five major types. Explore each type in detail in these Steps.

Most environments are inhabited by a community of different microbes, all competing to gain the nutrients they need for growth and reproduction. Find out how microbes function in this activity.

Microbes may be invisible to the naked eye, but they dominate every environment on Earth. In this activity you will discover how each species of microbe has adapted to live in a specific environment.

Many microbes adapt to live in association with another organism, known as their host. In this activity you will explore the spectrum of microbe-host interactions.

This week you explored the characteristics of the five groups of microbes, how they function and where they live. Next week you'll examine the current methods microbiologists use to investigate this fascinating, hidden world.

Welcome to Week 2. Microbes live in every environment on Earth and advances in technology are helping us discover new species in previously inaccessible places. This week discover how microbiologists study the hidden world.

A single microbial sample contains many species of microbes with widely differing properties. Watch just a few of the techniques microbiologists use to study them in these lab demonstrations.

You've now seen a selection of the scientific techniques used to find and isolate microbes. In this activity, you'll turn to the methods used to interpret the results.

Observation and record keeping skills are key for any microbiologist. Now it's your turn! In this activity, you'll perform and write-up an experiment using everyday items you can buy in a supermarket.

This week you explored the techniques microbiologists use and tested a hypothesis for yourself. Next week you'll discuss the impact microbes have on health, food and the environment.

Pathogens are often in the news because of their devastating impact. Hear about the techniques used by microbiologists to identify the microbes which cause disease.

At some point in your life, you may have taken antibiotics to fight an infection, but do you really know how they work? Find out and hear from our medical microbiologists about their research into specific pathogens.

Using the correct cooking method, avoiding cross-contamination and keeping clean are all key priorities in the kitchen to safeguard your health. Explore the microbiology behind these food-related rules and try another experiment.

Microbes live in every environment on Earth from volcanoes, caves and oceans, to glaciers and us. But microbes also have an impact on key global processes. What roles do microbes play within the carbon and nitrogen cycles?

Microbes are often seen to have a negative impact on the way we live, but we can also take advantage of microbes to improve our lives. In this activity, you will look at the ways microbes are used in research and biotechnology.

Thank you for joining us on this University of Reading course. Now you’ve reached the end, let’s reflect together and think about the next steps you may like to take.