– Immersion among microbes, our invisible allies
The new exhibition at the Hand Museum highlights micro-organisms, little known, even feared, even though they are essential to us.
Published today at 9:08 a.m.
Microbes come in extremely varied shapes, colors and functions.
UNIL-CHUV Hand Museum
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Leave to the discovery of microbes. The idea may be off-putting, as the image of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) remains negative. It is precisely “to restore their nobility” that the UNIL-CHUV Hand Museum is dedicating its new exhibition to them, on display until January 2026.
Designed with the National Research Center (PNR) Microbiomes, “Invisibles. The hidden life of microbes” invites you to make yourself very small. “We wanted to correct two human biases: macroscopic and anthropocentric. The first prevents us from seeing what is very small, the second makes us believe that we are the center of the world,” summarizes Olivier Glassey, director of the museum.
Varied microbial habitats
Using interactive devices, scientific explanations and artistic works, the exhibition offers a journey through different microbial habitats (soil, oceans, air, plants, human body, etc.) where we taste the diversity of forms , colors and functions of the microorganisms that surround and inhabit us.
The opportunity to take a deep breath of humility in the face of these microscopic organisms which are at the origin of life on Earth and which remain essential to our balance and that of ecosystems. It is on this point that the second part of the exhibition focuses.
“Crucial in the balance of life”
Microorganisms form communities (microbiomes) within which they interact while exchanging with their environment. “It’s a world that can be frightening, but the majority of microbes are not a source of disease. On the contrary, they have crucial roles in the balance of life,” underlines curator Roxanne Currat.
After having ignored and then feared them, humans have understood that they could be allies, for example for preserving food (fermentation), for depolluting soils, or even for producing biodegradable materials.
Family and school activities
“Studying microorganisms in microbial culture no longer makes sense, what is interesting is to see how they behave in their natural environment. This is essential to understand their importance and this is what we tried to convey,” comments Jan Roelof van der Meer, director of the NCCR Microbiomes.
In addition to the guided tours, a rich scientific-cultural program is planned around the exhibition, including activities dedicated to families and schools.
Romaric Haddou has been a journalist in the Vaud and regions section since 2016. He covers the health sector in particular.More informations
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