Fishing for bacteria in New Zealand

Typography

If you asked Richard Sparling, what he did during his sabbatical early last year, he’d probably say “fishing in New Zealand.”

But this ambiguous answer by the department of microbiology associate professor does not tell the whole story.

If you asked Richard Sparling, what he did during his sabbatical early last year, he’d probably say “fishing in New Zealand.”

But this ambiguous answer by the department of microbiology associate professor does not tell the whole story.

“This is Lake Taupo, in the middle of this large caldera,” said Sparling, pointing to a picture of New Zealand’s largest lake, which he called home for a number of months amidst active volcanoes and kiwi birds.

Apparently Lake Taupo is well-known for its abundance of trout, but Sparling wasn’t fishing for fish, but rather thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria.

 

Continue reading at University of Manitoba.

Photo via University of Manitoba.