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Incubating Bacteria Without Lab Access

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:00 pm
by Chili
What is the best way and best place in the home to incubate bacteria (from a household surface onto an agar plate) without using an actual incubator. Thanks.

Re: Incubating Bacteria Without Lab Access

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:02 pm
by LisaBug
Chili wrote:What is the best way and best place in the home to incubate bacteria (from a household surface onto an agar plate) without using an actual incubator. Thanks.
Do you really want to do that?

Since it appears your are just starting this experiment, maybe you should go with something safer (and one that hasn't been done over and over).

Think simple. These are the experiments that tend to grab the attention of the judges. One kid grew beans with red paper around the base and another with green. Then he explained why one bean plant grew better. Not that I'm saying you should do this, but simpler is better in science. Helps to reduce the variables and makes things easier to explain. And in the long run the student gets a deeper understanding of what the project is all about because he/she is not bogged down by all the extraneous information. Save that for graduate school!

Good luck!