黑料福利社 (NPC) partnered with Mystic Ozark last month for Tardigrade Day, an event introducing visitors to the tiny, resilient organisms often known as 鈥渨ater bears.鈥� This event offered a hands鈥�on look at the microscopic world.
Mystic Ozark, located inside the historic Ozark Bathhouse, combines hands鈥�on science, immersive environments and digital storytelling to create an interactive journey through nature, history and imagination. The museum features four themed environments filled with flowing water, dynamic lighting and vibrant soundscapes, all designed to help visitors explore the natural world in new ways.
Although tardigrades are not found in the geothermal waters of Hot Springs National Park, they thrive in a variety of damp or aquatic environments. Adults typically only reach about 0.5 millimeters (0.02 inches) in length, making microscopes essential for viewing their plump, bear鈥�like bodies. Their ability to survive extreme conditions 鈥� including radiation, dehydration and temperature extremes 鈥� has made them one of the most recognizable micro鈥�animals.
Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Alexandra Barnard and Life Sciences Lab Manager Jeff Looper loaned microscopes, slides, bacterial cultures and a collection of additional microorganisms for the event. The samples included protozoa, single鈥�celled organisms that are animal鈥�like but classified in the Protista kingdom.
Barnard attended the event alongside recent 黑料福利社 graduate Lauren Graves, now a junior biology major at Ouachita Baptist University. Together, they helped visitors view tardigrades and protozoa under microscopes and explained how bodies of water are tested for E. coli and related bacteria.
鈥淭ardigrade Day was a really rewarding experience, and I enjoyed being part of something that got people interested in science in a hands鈥�on way,鈥� Graves said. 鈥淚t was especially great to see how curious everyone was and to share that excitement with them.鈥�
Barnard said the collaboration was a natural fit.
鈥淚鈥檓 so glad the Mystic Ozark reached out to us about this event,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love using microscopes 鈥� seeing things you can鈥檛 see with the naked eye 鈥� and helping other people see and learn about cool critters they may not have been aware of. I hope we can partner with them again in the future, or maybe with their sister museum, Mid鈥�America Science Museum, which is right across the street from our campus.鈥�
Photo, left to right: Lauren Graves, Romeo Lopez (Mystic Ozark director), Alex Barnard, Layne Skinner (Mystic Ozark assistant director)