Why is it not good to eat armadillo meat? Why are there outbreaks of hemorrhagic viruses in Nigeria? Can microbes be seen with the naked eye? Are there bacteria in space? Why can camels and sharks save your life? These are some of the questions answered by the Science Museum of the University of Navarra in the video collection "Microbes in the Museum".

The Science Museum of the University of Navarra has launched twelve popular science videos in which it relates microbiology with its natural science collections. The videos, which have been recorded mainly in the facilities of the Museum itself, tell news and curiosities about microbiology and science, in relation to some of the pieces housed in the Museum.

"They are short videos, just over three minutes, in which, in a simple but rigorous way, they tell curious stories that relate science, microbiology and nature," says Ignacio López-Goñi, professor of Microbiology and director of the Science Museum of the University of Navarra.

This series of videos covers a wide range of topics, from the "Spanish" flu of 1918, bacteria on the International Space Station, microbial biodiversity, to the microbes of the Neanderthals, among others. In addition, the user can virtually visit a biosafety laboratory where they work with pathogenic bacteria and where they can learn how to perform a self-test to diagnose the AIDS virus.

Rodents, coypus, ducks and cormorants, hominid skulls, monkeys, armadillos, antelopes, elks, puffer fish, snakes, giant shells, spiders, butterflies, are some of the pieces that we can enjoy in this informative series that combines different ingredients in a didactic way: bacteria, viruses, nature and living beings.

"With the video collection "Microbes in the Museum" we wanted to combine science with the Museum's own collections, with the aim of arousing curiosity and bringing scientific knowledge especially to young people. This collection of videos can be an excellent teaching tool for schools and institutes," adds López-Goñi.

The script for these videos was written by Professor López-Goñi, with the participation of David Galicia, head of the Science Museum's collections, and the Museum's technicians. The Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has collaborated in this project.

The complete collection of videos is available on the website of the Science Museum of the University of Navarra.