As part of the new exhibition “Tiny Giants – The World of Microbes” at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, the AIT Bioresources team is contributing to the communication of microbiological interrelations with the scientific expertise of microbiome expert Tanja Kostic. The video featured in the exhibition was produced as part of the AIT-coordinated flagship project Microbiome-Support, which led to the founding of the Microbiome-Support Association. The aim is to clearly present current research findings on microbes, their impact on humans and the environment, and their potential for sustainable solutions.
Microbes are omnipresent and essential for life on Earth. Nevertheless, their contribution to health, climate, and the environment is often underrepresented in the public perception or associated with negative connotations. Especially in times of growing global challenges – from pandemics and antibiotic resistance to environmental pollution – the importance of taking a more differentiated look at the microbial world becomes increasingly clear.
The Ars Electronica Center is now addressing this topic with a dedicated exhibition. Under the title “Tiny Giants”, visitors will encounter interactive stations, visualizations, and scientifically grounded information that illustrate the complex functions of microbial systems. The AIT Center for Health and Bioresources, through microbiome expert Tanja Kostic, is contributing current research – in particular on the role of the microbiome in health and the environment. In addition to providing scientific consultation and preparing data, AIT is also contributing content from ongoing research projects dealing with microbial diversity in soil or the interactions between humans and the microbiome.
Through collaborations with cultural and scientific institutions such as the Ars Electronica Center, AIT aims to make scientific knowledge accessible and comprehensible. The “Tiny Giants” exhibition will run over an extended period and is aimed at a broad audience, including school groups, families, and interested laypeople. In doing so, AIT and the Microbiome-Support Association – of which AIT is a founding member – are contributing to science communication and raising awareness of the importance of microbiological research in societally relevant areas such as health, sustainability, and technology.
The opening will take place on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Admission is free; registration is recommended at center@ars.electronica.art or +43 732 72720
All information: https://ars.electronica.art/center/en/events/dse-kleine-riesen/
