Growing Bacteria at Home

What are Bacteria?

Bacteria is the plural form of the word "bacterium." Bacteria are a form of single-cell organisms that are ubiquitous in all of the environments on Earth. Bacteria live in the air, the soil, water, inside of plants and animals, within the human body, and virtually everywhere else. There are even extremely specialized forms of bacteria that live deep within the Earth's crust or within radioactive materials. An average human body contains far more bacterial cells than it does human cells. This is because bacteria are essential to life, as they help to break down and decay dead biological matter. Certain types of bacteria, of course, can also be dangerous and even lethal.

How Can I Grow Bacteria at Home?

To grow bacteria at home you'll need a petri dish with its cover and agar solution, both which can be purchased easily and inexpensively over the Internet. All that you really need to do is introduce bacteria to the agar solution and then cover the petri dish and wait for the bacteria colonies to begin to grow. You can introduce bacteria by simply touching the agar solution with unwashed hands, a coin that's been in circulation, or by simply leaving the dish open outside for a day or two (protected from rain or snow) and then sealing it. Kept at room temperature you can expect visible colonies of bacteria to spring up within a few days. They will grow more quickly if kept at warmer temperatures, up to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Who Should I Dispose of Bacteria Once I've Grown Them?

Although the contents of your petri dish experiment may seem safe, the dish actually contains millions of bacteria. Although it's unlikely that any of the bacteria are extremely dangerous, it's best not to inhale them or have any direct contact with them. To dispose of the bacteria safely pour undiluted bleach into the petri dish until the bacteria are immersed, cover the dish, then let it sit for several minutes. At the end of that time the bacteria should all be dead and can be disposed of safely.