Rethink Bacteria
Rethink Bacteria is an innovative SciArt project, initiated by Pure Effect, that explores the invisible microbial world we live in, and in what ways it is the very prerequisite for a vibrant future. Through photography, research, and stories, the exhibition invites us to see bacteria not as enemies, but as essential partners for life.
Why?
We live in symbiosis with bacteria, but rarely talk about them as something positive. Rethink Bacteria aims to spark curiosity and change the perception of the role of microbes – in nature, in our bodies, and in future materials. The project shows how bacteria can become a resource for sustainable innovation: in the fight against antibiotic resistance, textile care, skincare, medicines, building materials, and biotechnological solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
Background
The idea was born in 2018 after a visit to the Micropia museum in Amsterdam. After seven years of work, the first exhibition opened in MOOD Stockholm in October 2025, in collaboration with artist Gabriela Torres Ruiz, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Antibiotikasmart Sverige, SLU, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The vision is for the project to travel further, grow in new formats, and reach even more people – perhaps all the way to the UN headquarters in New York.
Results & Insights
The project has generated interest in research, art, and business – as an example of how microbiology can create new sustainable solutions and compelling stories.
Rethink Bacteria has:
• increased understanding of the importance of microbes for human and planetary health
• created an inspiring meeting place for new collaborations in natural science, art, and circular design
• contributed to education and awareness of the One Health perspective
• given Pure Effect a clearer role as a driver for microbial innovation in everyday life
The project shows that art can be a powerful catalyst for change – and that bacteria can be part of the solution, not the problem.
Discover more
Get to know the ten bacteria portrayed and their importance for a livable future.
Read more at www.rethinkbacteria.org

Glossary
✓BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology involves using microorganisms to produce substances we need (such as medicines and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemicals) and to break down substances we want to remove; everything from grease and dirt to oil spills, wastewater, and toxic substances in soil and water.
✓BIOTECHNOLOGICAL CLEANING
The biological cleaning method differs radically from the chemical one. With the help of chemical cleaning agents, we can eliminate all life forms – friends and foes. This creates a temporary biological vacuum, where bacteria quickly re-establish themselves.
Cleaning with bacteria, Pure Effect's method, means that a selected and beneficial bacterial flora replaces that which arose randomly. Pure Effect's bacteria then effectively compete out the unwanted ones, which prolongs the effect of the biological cleaning.
✓ENZYMES
Enzymes are highly specialized substances produced by all living things. They are absolutely essential for specific biochemical reactions to take place at low temperatures, without the addition of energy, for example, inside the body. In laundry and cleaning products, enzymes specialized in breaking down fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and other organic waste are used.
✓FERMENTATION EXTRACT
A fermentation extract contains enzymes and forms the base of our cleaning products. The fermentation extract consists of fermenting bacteria and the enzymes they produce. The enzymes are specifically selected for our various products and their areas of application.
✓ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
Enzymatic hydrolysis is a process where specialized enzymes break down larger molecules into their constituent parts using water molecules. Our bacteria cleave fat molecules (triglycerides) into glycerol and free fatty acids, making them easily soluble and simpler for our beneficial bacteria to break down and consume.
✓PROBIOTIC
Probiotic bacteria are living bacteria with beneficial effects – not least in our bodies. Among other things, their activity inhibits the growth of disease-causing bacteria.
✓MICROBIOME
The term "microbiome" is used to define and describe a specific microbial ecosystem – that is, an ecosystem consisting of microorganisms. These miniature ecosystems, however, operate under the same laws as all other ecosystems on Earth. Organisms compete for resources, cooperate in networks, or wage war against each other – and those most successfully adapting to the surrounding environment will survive, reproduce, and dominate.
✓BACTERIA
Bacteria are microorganisms, meaning single-celled life forms. Our relationship with them is complicated, as we know that some of them cause diseases. But we also know that bacteria are essential for life both in nature and in the body. For humans, they can be both friends and foes. Our "friends" can be induced to perform a variety of useful services – what we call biotechnology. At Pure Effect, we use the ability of beneficial bacteria to break down dirt and remove odors, as well as their ability to outcompete or combat undesirable bacteria.
All life on Earth can be divided into three large, overarching categories (domains), based on genetic data. These domains consist of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota. Bacteria consequently have an entire domain to themselves – a vast kingdom containing infinite variation and diversity. All bacteria, however, share certain common characteristics; among other things, they lack a cell nucleus. https://artfakta.se/taxa/5000052/information
The domain Archaea also contains only single-celled organisms. They lack a cell nucleus, but are not related to bacteria. Link: https://artfakta.se/taxa/5000082/information
The domain Eukaryota is characterized by a cell nucleus, but also largely consists of microorganisms. However, this kingdom also includes the exception: multicellular life forms; the visible "Life on Earth" – including ourselves. https://www.genteknik.se/ordlista/eukaryot/
✓MICROORGANISMS (microbes)
Microorganisms are very small, single-celled life forms that cannot be seen with the naked eye. "Microorganisms" or "microbes" is a collective term for bacteria, yeasts, microalgae, plankton, and molds, among others. These invisible life forms exist in all environments on Earth and play an important role in all ecosystems. They are the original force that drives the cycles of nature, and a large number of species (mainly bacteria) are essential for our own bodies.