Middle School, Microbiology Science Projects (19 results)

Microorganisms are all around us, with an amazing diversity of adaptations. They were the first life on Earth, and their relatively recent discovery in extreme environments—like hot springs, ocean vents, and polar ice—illustrates how tenaciously they've evolved and survived. Microbiology gives us insights into evolution, disease, and even the mechanisms of our own cells.

An Aerobic Exercise: Yeast Metabolism with and without Aeration

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is a straightforward project on glucose metabolism in yeast. You will grow yeast under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and measure carbon dioxide output to assess metabolic efficiency. Read more

Can Garlic Prevent Crown Gall?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Crown gall is a plant disease caused by the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This project uses tomato plants to investigate whether garlic extract can prevent crown gall infection. Read more

Death Rays: What Duration of Ultraviolet Exposure Kills Bacteria?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Ultraviolet light can damage DNA molecules. If a cell's DNA repair mechanisms can't keep up with the damage, mutations are the result. As harmful mutations accumulate, the cell eventually dies. How much ultraviolet light is too much for a bacterial cell? Read more

Disinfectants

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Disinfectants are products that kill harmful bacteria that inhabit surfaces. Disinfectants can be in household and personal cleaning products. Which products work best? Compare different household cleaning products, like bleach or Lysol, to see which ones kill the most bacteria. Compare different brands of antibacterial hand soap or dish soap to see which brand is the most effective. How do hand sanitizers work? Compare rub-on hand sanitizers to see if they work better than alcohol, or compare… Read more

Do Antibiotics Change Your Gut Microbiome?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

There are thousands of bacteria in your gut that help you digest your food, recover important nutrients, and maintain your health. What happens to those bacteria when you take antibiotics? In this science project you will find out by accessing and analyzing a real data set of the gut microbiome (bacteria and other microbes) from healthy adults before and after they are given antibiotics. Read more

Germ Invasion

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Microbes are everywhere in our environment, but for the most part they escape our notice. This project shows you how to safely culture and study common bacteria from your everyday surroundings. Read more

Grow Vegan Kombucha Leather

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you love the look and feel of leather? Many luxury items like handbags, belts, wallets, and coats are made from leather. What if you could make your own vegan leather in a few weeks? Could it be a greener, more sustainable option than cowhide leather? In this science project, you will grow your own vegan leather from kombucha and see how different growing conditions affect the resulting leather. Read more

How Can Life Survive on a Planet with Extreme Tidal Locking?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered what life might look like on other planets? Life might need to survive conditions that would seem very extreme to us. Such conditions likely exist on planets that orbit abundant red dwarf stars. These planets can undergo tidal locking, which means one side is a perpetual, freezing night and the other is a perpetual, scorching day! How does life stand a chance? In this science project, you will test what extreme temperatures microscopic life can survive to model some of… Read more

How Do Bacteria Produce Power in a Microbial Fuel Cell?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Bacteria are powerful little creatures. They can dispose of contaminants, make us sick and did you know they can even generate electricity? In devices, called microbial fuel cells (MFC) they can extract electrons from their food sources such as organic materials and feed them into an electrical circuit to generate power. This way they can even turn plain soil into a source of energy! Does it matter though what kind of food the bacteria "eat"? Find out how bacteria grow in a microbial fuel cell… Read more

How Do Food Preservatives Affect the Growth of Microorganisms?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This project uses liquid cultures and agar plates to investigate the effects of different concentrations of a food preservative on microbial growth. Read more

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