How Danish children discovered 10 new species of bacteria
A simple citizen science project that could lead to real-world change
As autumn descended on the forests of Denmark last year, so did thousands of Danish schoolchildren. Foraging in woods, parks and even school playgrounds, almost 25,000 children collected fallen leaves, fruits, vegetables and other natural samples as part of a the ‘Mass Experiment’. Organised by Astra – the Danish national Centre for Learning in Science, Technology and Health – in collaboration with the Biotech company Novozymes, the hunt was for new species of a particular kind of bacteria.