Last Thursday we learned how to streak plates in the Bio Safety Cabinet (with the hood) so that there is a smaller chance of contamination. I streaked two plates with buttermilk, which I then labeled and let set at room temperature. Then I made a buttermilk 10mL/milk 200mL solution which I also set at room temperature. We watched videos on Fungi and many ways it can "save the world" with capabilities such as absorbing oil.
Today I arrived to find that the buttermilk/milk solution and plates were refrigerated. Richard demonstrated to Tomie, Alex, and myself how to stain bacteria (taken from our plates), how to tell if the bacteria is Gram Positive or Gram Negative, and to identify different types such as Cocci, Spirilla, and Bascillus.