What if all microbes disappeared?

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EduBiota at European Researchers’ Night 2026

The EduBiota project took part in European Researchers’ Night 2026 at the Ciência Viva Centre of Vila do Conde, with an interactive module highlighting the importance of microorganisms in health, food, plants and ecosystem functioning.

On 25 September, the EduBiota project took part in European Researchers’ Night 2026 at the Ciência Viva Centre of Vila do Conde (CCVVC), during an evening dedicated to bringing science, research and the community closer together.

Throughout the event, researchers from different fields presented ongoing scientific projects, giving visitors opportunities to observe, experiment, ask questions and speak directly with those involved in research.

Projects represented during the evening included Biodiversity Genomics Europe, AstroBioLusitanos, LusoQuercus, among several others addressing topics such as biodiversity, genomics, astrobiology, food, environmental change, health, ecosystems and new technologies.

This diversity of projects clearly highlighted one of the main strengths of European Researchers’ Night: creating a shared space where different areas of science can meet and where research can be presented in an accessible, engaging and participatory way.

A world without microbes: a good idea?

The EduBiota module at CCVVC

EduBiota participated with the interactive module “A world without microbes: a good idea?”, developed to challenge some of the most common perceptions about microorganisms and to draw attention to the wide range of roles they play in our lives and in the functioning of the planet.

The experience began with a simple question: would it be better to live in a world without microbes?

Before exploring the module, visitors were invited to record their opinion in an initial vote.

They could then explore a range of everyday objects and situations, each linked to a particular relationship between microorganisms and processes that are essential to life. Visitors were free to choose where to begin and discover, for example, how microorganisms:

participate in the production and transformation of food;
form part of the human microbiome and perform important functions in the body;
contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling;
establish essential relationships with plants and support their productivity;
and are central to important issues related to antibiotic use and bacterial resistance.

At the end of the experience, visitors were invited to answer the initial question once again: After learning a little more about this invisible world, would they still give the same answer?

Rather than conveying the simplified idea that there are “good” and “bad” microorganisms, the module aimed to show that microorganisms are part of complex networks of relationships that are essential to organismal health, ecosystem functioning and many of the processes on which our daily lives depend.

Communicating science beyond the scientific community

Taking part in initiatives of this kind is particularly relevant for projects such as EduBiota.

Science communication and public engagement are not limited to presenting scientific results. They also provide opportunities to listen to questions, identify existing conceptions, spark curiosity, promote dialogue and create new ways of connecting research and society.

Throughout the evening, it was especially interesting to observe how people of different ages interacted with the module, which objects attracted the most curiosity, and what questions arose spontaneously.

A seemingly simple question — “what if all microbes disappeared?” — opened the door to conversations about food, health, the environment, antibiotics, plants, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

These moments are also valuable opportunities to test new approaches to science communication and to better understand how scientific concepts can be presented in ways that are both rigorous and accessible to different audiences.

A special thank you

EduBiota’s participation in this edition of European Researchers’ Night was made possible by the invitation and warm welcome of the Ciência Viva Centre of Vila do Conde.

I would therefore like to express a very special thank you to Dr Raquel Ribeiro, Executive Director of the Ciência Viva Centre of Vila do Conde, for the invitation, the trust and the opportunity given to EduBiota to take part in this initiative.

My sincere thanks also go to the entire CCVVC team, for their tremendous availability, their support in preparing and setting up the module, and their assistance throughout the evening.

The team’s welcome, organisation and availability were fundamental in creating such a positive experience for both researchers and visitors.

I would also like to thank the colleagues and teams responsible for the different projects presented during the event. Having the opportunity to learn about such a diverse range of work, exchange ideas and observe different approaches to communicating research was a particularly enriching part of the experience.

European Researchers’ Night showed once again that science takes on a different dimension when it moves beyond academic and research settings and enters into direct dialogue with society.

For EduBiota, it was also another opportunity to put into practice one of the ideas that guides the project: Same questions. More perspective.

Gallery | Highlights from European Researchers’ Night 2026