The Tiny Bugs That Clean Up Ocean Oil Spills
Imagine a big splash of oil spills into the ocean. It looks scary and messy! But some of the smallest helpers in the world can clean it up — tiny bugs called bacteria that are too small to see without a microscope. These special bugs do not sting or bite. Their whole job is to eat oil, the way you might eat a snack!
What You'll Learn
In this lesson you will: - Meet a real bug that eats ocean oil - Learn how scientists help these bugs grow bigger and faster - Find out about a real ocean spill these bugs helped clean up - Discover why this kind of science is called synthetic biology
Meet the Clean-Up Bug
There is a real bacteria called Alcanivorax borkumensis. That is a big name for a very tiny bug! It lives in the ocean, and when oil spills into the water, this bug swims over and starts eating it. As it eats, the oil slowly disappears, a little bit at a time.
How Scientists Help the Bugs Work Faster
Bugs need food to grow, just like you do. Scientists learned that if they sprinkle special plant food called nitrogen and phosphorus into the water, the oil-eating bugs grow bigger and multiply faster. More bugs means the oil gets cleaned up sooner.
In 2010, a huge oil spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists watched as oil-eating bacteria like Alcanivorax borkumensis grew by the billions and helped break down large amounts of the spilled oil, working alongside human cleanup crews.
Why We Call This Synthetic Biology
Synthetic biology is the science of studying living things very closely and sometimes helping them do their jobs even better. Scientists who study oil-eating bugs are part of this field. When they grow up, some students who love this lesson might become the scientists who help bugs clean our oceans!
Match each helper to its job!
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
What does the bacteria Alcanivorax borkumensis do when oil spills into the ocean?
Why do scientists add nitrogen and phosphorus to an oil spill?
Draw the Clean-Up Crew
Draw a picture of an oil spill in the ocean with tiny bugs cleaning it up. Label three parts of your drawing: the oil, the bug, and the ocean. Then write three sentences describing what is happening in your picture.
Want to keep learning?
Sign up for free to access the full curriculum — all subjects, all ages.
Start Learning Free