APP OF THE DAY
The app that puts the fun into fungi
micro by THIX
bacteria, fungi and viruses
Little things can make a big difference. That’s particularly true in micro by THIX, which is all about some of the tiniest forms of life itself: bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Individually they don’t do much, but put them together and the results can be rather mesmerising.
Simulating the behaviour of microorganisms, micro by THIX educates as it lets you create different fungi, bacteria and viruses for your own experiments. You can mix your creations with cells, adjust how they move and expose them to external factors such as spotlights, heat or antiseptics.
As they interact you can see the process of natural selection in action. These tiny organisms bash and crash into each other, damaging cells and getting damaged themselves as you experiment with the effects of different approaches and attributes.
It’s fascinating stuff, but micro by THIX does assume a certain level of knowledge: in order to get the most out of its educational abilities, it’ll help if you know what certain terms mean (‘phagocytosis’ or ‘facultative nutrient’ anyone?)
But even if you don’t, micro is a fascinating diversion and a great way to visualise the remarkable things that we can’t usually see with the naked eye.