Foods under the Microscope - This site offers laypeople a close-up "peep show" into the sub-microscopic world of common foods and at the same time may act as a resource for microbiology researchers. The site is hosted by the University of Lund in Sweden and concerns the properties of foods such as elasticity or firmness and sensory attributes such as grittiness (in cheese spread, for example). The images posted on this modest yet clean looking site come from food research electron microscopes and even atomic force microscopes. These "new views" offer a fascinating insight into food science although the accompanying information is quite detailed and may not suit a novice. The layout and appearance is fairly basic and unsophisticated, which along with the level of academic detail given may deter many visitors. However, the images themselves make up for much of this and it remains a noteworthy link for researchers in microbiology and those with a keen interest. (24 November 2001) DM
http://anka.livstek.lth.se:2080/microscopy/in...

Microbiology for Teachers - This site is a database of microbiology information and laboratory exercises submitted by teachers to assist their fellow teachers in the communication of the subject, particularly through hands-on activities. The site is simplistic, it merely contains links to web pages on which the information can be accessed. The aim, however, is to convey the basic principles of scientific research through the subject of microbiology, and this site would be useful to teachers of all nationalities irrespective of the focus on the US curriculum. Each exercise could be adapted to suit the needs of the teacher and the pupils and therefore the information is universal. Contact details for the majority of submitted exercises have been provided, should further information or guidance need to be sought. Examples of exercises include: 'What's that in my root beer?' examining the content of the everyday food substances and 'Biosphere in a bottle'. (1 September 2001) RM
http://www.waksmanfoundation.org/labs.html

WebPath: The Internet Pathology Laboratory - An impressively rich pathology site with over 1900 images in addition to text, tutorials, laboratory exercises, and examination items for self-assessment that demonstrate gross and microscopic pathologic findings associated with human disease conditions. Considering the site has been developed by one individual at a university pathology department there is more than plenty to keep keen pathology and anatomy students busy. There is even a chance to win a prize in the 'case of the week' in which the user has to make a diagnosis from an interesting image. Bear in mind that you need a web browser that can support the display of 20-250k .gif or .jpg files is required to view the images. (27 June 2001) RM
http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/webpat...

Brock Biology of Microorganisms - This online study-guide acts as a virtual companion to the book Biology of Microorganisms. As such, it provides a chapter outline, which highlights the salient points covered in the book. In so doing it offers anyone with a fledgling interest in microbiology a whirlwind tour of the field without bogging them down in the minutiae of the unicellular. Keywords for this growing field of science are highlighted and so easy to pick out as one scans through chapters on the basic cell types of the micro-organismic world. The site also carries a message board for visitors, although at first glance it seemed sparsely populated with the most recent message in January. (27 April 2001) DB
http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/brock/

MicrobeWorld.org - Viruses, bacteria, protozoa, microscopic fungi...germs. While many of our microscopic companions on planet earth can and do cause us harm, we simply couldn't exist without the teeming trillions of microbes, around us and in us. For instance, about half of the oxygen in the atmosphere is generated by the little critters. This American Society for Microbiology site provides a gateway to a plethora of information on our microbial friends, including handbooks, information on microbial TV stars and a telecourse for the dedicated micro-buff. (22 April 2001) DB
http://www.microbeworld.org/mlc/

The Curious Microbe - A nice foray into the world of microbes based on an American university lecture course. The site carries essays on various subjects, such as how do microbes live without light, what allows them to survive a dose of radiation and the giant bacteria that inhabit fish guts. There is also a brief history of Bdellovibrio, which sounds like a Viking warrior but is actually a bacterium that resembles a microscopic curved leeched (hence the monicker). The site has some nice cartoons to illustrate each essay and is worth a visit simply for the portrait of Bdellovibrio. (8 April 2001) DB
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/curio...

Stalking the mysterious microbe - A simple introduction to microbes from the American Society for Microbiology. Pay a visit to find out, with the help of 'Sam Sleuth' all about the microbes on your hands and in the Himalayas, the world of landfills and oilspills and what you need to know about common colds and uncommon cures. There are lots of amateur microbiology experiments that can be carried out with readily available materials such as your teeth, where biofilms of bacteria form, and a loaf of bread, on which the most outrageously colourful moulds can grow, given time. It is also available in Spanish. (13 August 2000) DB
http://www.microbe.org/

The Microbial Underground - Much of what you might ever want to know about microbes, those that cause disease and those we cannot live without. With some gaps that may never be filled given that the site's creator has moved on to other/better things. The site is given 'as is' but does provides a useful and neat insight into urethral and gut bacteria, and the bugs that reside on our skins as well as the more familiar pathogenic microbes. Lots of links to sites around the world, some of which might even be up to date. (25 January 2000) DB
http://www.medmicro.mds.qmw.ac.uk/underground/

Murray's story - Meet Murray the microbe, a four-inch-tall bacterium who sports Reeboks and lives in a parallel universe. The Aberdeen-based educational software company Scotcal brings you his bizarre exploits in "Murray's Identity Crisis," a 31-page illustrated web drama. Along the way you learn all about bacteria, how they live, what they eat, what they look like and how they reproduce. A brief index and glossary point you to Murray's explanations of technical terms. Although not terribly interactive, the site is good educational fun for kids. (11 August 1998) JK
http://www.scotcal.com/murray/