Here is a delightful video about pioneer of microbiology Van Leeuwenhoek.
I had come across a Stop-motion Lego documentary about great microbiologists on Boing Boing, and just found it again in the Brickfilms archive.
Great Microbiologists
Watch now ? Brickfilm Archive
Directed by Joshua Leasure
Released May 18, 2003
Starring Joshua Leasure, Stefan van Zwam, Loïc Desjardins
Genre Educational, Comedy
Running time 8:43
Language English, Dutch, French
Boing boing said:
I can’t say I ever wanted to knuffle Antonie van Leeuwenhoek before, but this adorable video may have altered my thinking. Using stop-motion Lego animation, this short documentary—made by the owner of Brickfilms site—offers a great short history of the two Fathers of Microbiology: The aforementioned van Leeuwenhoek and the better-known* Louis Pasteur.
For extra fun, the dialogue for both men is recorded in their native tongue (with subtitles), so there’s none of that awkward “pretending everybody in history spoke English” thing. Plus, you’ll learn how to say “wee beasties” in two languages.
Want more microbiology videos? I really must recommend microbiologist and blogger Cesar Sanchez‘s playlist.
*The film also inadvertently answers the question of why Pasteur is more of a popular figure. When you single-handedly save the beer industry from dangerous bacterial contamination … well, let’s just say that being the first guy to see single-celled organisms doesn’t quite measure up.