Hooked on science: Potato slices show how germs can multiply

The H1N1 flu, or swine flu, continues to cause illness, hospitalizations and deaths worldwide. The virus was first detected in humans in the United States in April. Since then, the virus continues to spread from person to person here in America. Using a few ingredients from around the house, you can see how germs quickly multiply in the right environment.

Materials:

* Potato

* Knife

* Black Sharpie marker

* 3 zipper storage bags

Instructions

STEP 1: Slice the potato into three equal pieces.

STEP 2: Place one of the potato pieces into a zipper storage bag and then close the bag. Using the black Sharpie marker, write "Control" on the bag.

STEP 3: Take another piece of potato and rub it on the floor. Place the piece of potato into a bag and then close the bag. Write "Floor" on it using the marker.

STEP 4: Take the last piece of potato and rub it on your hands. Place the piece of potato into a bag and then close the bag. Using the marker, write "Hands" on the bag.

STEP 5: Place the bags in a dark closet for one week.

Explanation

In about a week you will see germs -- called mold or bacteria -- growing on the potatoes. The potato pieces rubbed on the floor and your hands should have the most germs growing. When you rubbed these potato pieces on the floor and your hands the potato piece picked up the germs. In the right environment these germs multiplied, allowing you to see the germs without the use of a microscope.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hooked onscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.