MTalks—Living with Microbes

Zoom into the multifaceted roles of microbes with help from a mycologist. It’s easy to forget that billions of microbial lifeforms are living beyond sight, helping ecosystems thrive and communicate. Danish Australian artists Rhoda Ting and Mikkel Bojesen give these tiny lifeforms some overdue time in the spotlight. Their collaborative sculptural installation 'Microbial Dwellings' invited us to explore these hidden helpers around the pavilion. In this talk, mycologist Tom May from the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, unpacks the secrets of what has grown and offer fascinating insights into the microbes we cohabit with. What do these tiny organisms do, and why are they so essential?