STANDARDS

CCSS: 8.EE.A.4, MP1, MP7, MP8

TEKS: 8.2C

Squishy Microbes

Why does this toy company turn microscopic viruses, bacteria, and more into cute and cuddly plush toys?

Courtesy of Giant Microbes (all images)

The supersized plush microbes are used as teaching tools and gifts for doctors, health professionals, and even patients!

I’m a macrophage, which is a type of infection-fighting white blood cell!

Most of the time, the common cold is a cause for concern. But for the toy maker GIANTmicrobes, the common cold is a bestseller! Since 2002, the company has made plush toys shaped like microbes, which are organisms too small to see with the human eye. Some of their most popular plushes are the viruses and bacteria that cause the flu, pneumonia, or Ebola—but supersized. The designers then add beaded eyes and colorful details.

The first GIANTmicrobe was of the common cold virus. Founder Drew Oliver wanted his children to learn why it was important to wash their hands, so he made a stuffed animal shaped like the common cold to teach them about germs. From there, “it evolved into making science fun and accessible,” says Andrew Klein, the company’s current president.

Usually you want to avoid the common cold. But that’s not true at the toy maker GIANTmicrobes. For them, the common cold is a bestseller! Since 2002, the company has made plush toys shaped like microbes. These are organisms too small to see with the human eye. GIANTmicrobes makes supersized versions. Some of their most popular toys are the microbes that cause the flu, pneumonia, and Ebola.

The first GIANTmicrobe was the virus that causes the common cold. The idea came from company founder Drew Oliver. He wanted his kids to learn why it was important to wash their hands. So he made a stuffed animal shaped like the cold virus to teach them about germs. From there, “it evolved into making science fun and accessible,” says Andrew Klein. He’s the company’s current president.

It can be difficult sometimes to decide which microbe to make next. “If you look at how many viruses and bacteria there are in the world, there are millions to choose from,” Klein says. That’s why they focus on microbes in the news. Since people are already talking about them, turning diseases like Covid or monkeypox into approachable toys helps raise awareness. Currently, both the original Covid-19 and the Omicron variant plushes are popular.

The designers are careful to get the shape of each microbe as accurate as possible. Then they add details like Covid’s protein spikes or E. coli’s flagellum, which are threadlike appendages that many bacteria have.

The toys are often used as a get-well gift or to commemorate diseases that friends or family have overcome. Ultimately, Klein says, GIANTmicrobes’ goal is to “bring awareness to health topics and make biology and life science more fun for everybody.” Learning about how diseases work is an important step in staying healthy. So the next time you catch a common cold, hopefully it’s a bright-blue stuffed one!

Deciding which microbe to make next can be difficult. “If you look at how many viruses and bacteria there are in the world, there are millions to choose from,” says Klein. That’s why the company focuses on microbes that are in the news. They have made stuffed versions of the original Covid-19 virus and the Omicron variant. Both are popular. Monkeypox is another disease that has spread in the U.S. recently. Turning it into a friendly-looking toy helps raise awareness, says Klein.

Designers first try to make the shape of each microbe as accurate as possible. Then they add details, like the spikes on Covid viruses or the threadlike tails on bacteria. People often buy the toys as get-well gifts, says Klein. They may also use them to remember diseases that friends or family have overcome. GIANTmicrobes wants to make it fun to learn about how diseases work, he says. That’s an important part of staying healthy. So the next time you catch a cold, hopefully it’s a blue stuffed one!

Answer the following questions comparing the size of a GIANTmicrobes plush to the size of the microbe it is based on. Round all answers to the nearest tenth. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

Answer the following questions comparing the size of a GIANTmicrobes plush to the size of the microbe it is based on. Round all answers to the nearest tenth. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

The flu virus is 8.0 × 10-6 cm in diameter. The diameter  of the plush version is 1,250,000 times larger than the microbe. What’s the diameter of the plush flu virus?

The flu virus is 8.0 × 10-6 cm in diameter. The diameter  of the plush version is 1,250,000 times larger than the microbe. What’s the diameter of the plush flu virus?

The Ebola virus is 1.4 × 10-3 cm long. The plush version is 9,070 times longer. What’s the length of the plush Ebola virus?

The Ebola virus is 1.4 × 10-3 cm long. The plush version is 9,070 times longer. What’s the length of the plush Ebola virus?

The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus causes a staph infection. A large staph bacterium is 1.2 × 10-4 cm long. The plush version is 148,500 times longer. How long is the plush staph bacterium?

The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus causes a staph infection. A large staph bacterium is 1.2 × 10-4 cm long. The plush version is 148,500 times longer. How long is the plush staph bacterium?

The diameter of a neuron, or brain cell, is 4.0 × 10-4 cm. The plush neuron’s diameter is 5,200 times larger. What’s the plush neuron’s diameter?

The diameter of a neuron, or brain cell, is 4.0 × 10-4 cm. The plush neuron’s diameter is 5,200 times larger. What’s the plush neuron’s diameter?

A. The Covid-19 virus has a range of sizes, and the smallest is 5.0 × 10-6 cm long. The plush version of this virus is 3,000,000 times larger. What’s the length of the plush Covid-19?

A. The Covid-19 virus has a range of sizes, and the smallest is 5.0 × 10-6 cm long. The plush version of this virus is 3,000,000 times larger. What’s the length of the plush Covid-19?

B.  Individual Covid-19 viruses vary in size. The largest Covid-19 virus is 1.5 × 10-5 cm long. Using your answer from Part A, how many times larger is the Covid-19 plush than the largest Covid-19 virus?

B.  Individual Covid-19 viruses vary in size. The largest Covid-19 virus is 1.5 × 10-5 cm long. Using your answer from Part A, how many times larger is the Covid-19 plush than the largest Covid-19 virus?

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