Microbe Mission
This is a HYBRID/LAB event. Teams will answer questions, solve problems, and analyze data pertaining to microbes. Topics include: microscope, bacteria, etc. Up to 2 students per team.
Hybrid Event: An event which contains elements from two, or more, of the other event types in combination. The most common combination mixes elements of a Core Knowledge event with elements of a Building or Lab event. As with the previous events, Hybrid Events may be altered to fit the format of the Science Olympiad Tournament being held. This may mean that Lab or Build elements of the event are modified or not conducted.
Microbe Mission is in the Life, Personal & Social Science category.
SciOly 2025 ChatBot
- Ask School AI ChatBot about SciOlyThe rules of each of the events can be hard to understand. If you have a question, want some study tips, ask this school-approved chatbot. Please use your real name when you begin the conversation.
Official Science Olympiad Website
- Science Olympiad Website (Nationwide) Here you'll find more resources and all the official information about the national tournament and its rules. Please note, we are Division B (middle school), part of the Lower Hudson Regional tournament, which is held in Scarsdale, NY, so dates and times for our events will differ but rules are the same.
- Lower Hudson Regional Science Olympiad Competition Website Information about the regional competition in Scarsdale will be posted here.
Books & eBooks on Microbes & Microscopy
The Basics of Microbes by ISBN: 9781499474510Publication Date: 2023Microscopic life holds the key to understanding many larger concepts and has even led to some amazing scientific breakthroughs. Through the pioneering efforts of people like Joseph Lister and Robert Koch, we have a greater understanding of human life and disease than ever before. This volume takes readers through the history of the research of microorganisms, and is filled with descriptive charts, sidebars, and photos for a more engaging and informative read.
What Are Bacteria? by ISBN: 9781502665393Publication Date: 2022Some bacteria are helpful, while others can make us very sick. Readers learn the difference in this engaging and educational look at a popular biology curriculum concept. The clear main text is paired with full-color photographs that take readers under the microscope to see various kinds of bacteria up close.
Inside the World of Microbes by ISBN: 9781499470499Publication Date: 2021Microbes are everywhere! They live on and under the ground. They live in all kinds of water on Earth, even around the hottest deep-sea vents. They even live on and inside your body! Since the advent of powerful microscopes, scientists have been studying our world's smallest denizens. Many people get scared just hearing the words "bacteria," "fungus," and "virus" because of the diseases they cause. However, scientists have discovered many beneficial microbes that actually help support all life on Earth. Geneticists have sequenced the genomes of numerous microbes, extending our knowledge of the organisms and how they affect our lives.
Cells by ISBN: 1404203982Publication Date: 2005Edited by an expert biologist, this book examines key developments and research in the field of cellular biology, noting the similarities and differences in the origins in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structures, new developments in cellular genetics, how cells communicate, and how scientists around the world are battling existing and emerging bacteria and viruses. It includes easy-to-understand introductions that enable students to approach and understand more difficult concepts in biology.
What Are Viruses? by ISBN: 9781502665331Publication Date: 2022In the time of COVID-19, it seems everyone is talking about viruses. But what is a virus, and how does a virus spread? Readers find the answers as they explore this comprehensive introduction to a basic biology curriculum concept.
Viruses by ISBN: 9781604133417Publication Date: 2012No one knows the origins of viruses. They have been on Earth for so long that it is believed that they may predate the first living cells. Today, viruses are found around the world, infecting bacteria and the cells of plants, fungi, animals, and humans. Viruses are parasites that cannot copy themselves and must invade other forms of life to reproduce. As they invade, viruses can inflict fatal diseases and transform normal cells into tumor cells. In Viruses, examine the life cycles of these tiny parasites, the ways they affect their hosts, and the ways that their ability to mutate present an ongoing challenge to the medical community.
Microlife by ISBN: 1403447683Publication Date: 2004How small is a bacterium? What is a protist? Which microorganisms move around like animals? Investigate the curious world of life science. Find out for yourself about microlife through experiments and demonstrations that you can do at home. Discover a kind of microorganism that lives in boiling hot water. See how some microorganisms are harmful to humans. This book will show you the importance of investigating and understanding the world around you.
Biotech Research by ISBN: 1601521766Publication Date: 2011Examines the science behind biotech research in foods and agriculture, medicine, industrial and environmental biotech, and what the future holds for biotech research.
Official SciOly 2025 Rules
- Microbe Mission RulesView the rules for Microbe Mission only in this PDF, which includes all the specific topics that will be included in the test. Use your school Google account to access.
- Official Rules for Division B Science Olympiad Use your school Google account to access this document with all the official rules for Division B (middle school) Science Olympiad 2025 for all events.
- Rules Revisions & Rules ClarificationsAny changes to the rules that are necessary but published after the official rules were released are published here. Check your event to see if any rules changes have been made before the competitions. You can also use the "Rules Clarification" form here to ask a clarifying question and a real judge will respond.
Helpful Resources
- Microbe Mission resource page on the Official Science Olympiad WebsiteDescriptions, practice tests, and more from the official Science Olympiad national site.
- 2018 Microbe Mission SlideshowGood information to study for Microbe Mission from SciOly.
- MICROBE MISSION WIKI on SciOly WikiContains some helpful tips to help understand the Microbe Mission.
- Microbe Mission Practice Test 2023 Brown U InvitationalA full practice test for Division B.
- Answer Key for Microbe Mission Practice Test 2023 Brown U InvitationalAnswer key for the practice test above.
- Answer Key to Archimedean Invitational practice testanswer key to the above practice test
