Photo: Simon Park
RESEARCH

Mobile Mould

Finding wonder in bacteria

For some, microscopic organisms are a source of endless horror. But for us, we see beauty in their patterned structures, furry textures and abstract blobs. As discovered by undergraduate researchers, even the merest imprint of a mobile phone in a bacterial growth formula reveals forms that are as magnificent as they are gruesome.  
Photo: Simon Park
University of Surrey senior lecturer in molecular bacteriology, Simon Park noted: “it seems that the mobile phone doesn’t just remember telephone numbers, but also harbours a history of our personal and physical contacts such as other people, soil etc”.
Photo: Simon Park