Test the invisible boundaries of wilderness survival science! How clean is that outdoor water source, and what does a survival filter actually leave behind? Find out with this comprehensive physical and biological water laboratory. Using raw filtration media—including pebbles, sand, and activated charcoal—you'll construct a functional multi-tier filtration column. Source your own sample from a local mud puddle or backyard pond, or use our included "Dirty Water Mix" to simulate a raw environmental sample indoors. By swabbing your water onto Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) plates both before and after the filtration process, you'll track the differences in bacterial growth over the following days. We've included 5 complete plates and 5 sterile swabs to give you plenty of extra components for accidental contamination or side-by-side testing! It is an eye-opening, multi-disciplinary experiment that vividly demonstrates the intersection of physical engineering, microbiology, and how real-world survival scenarios rely on these exact scientific principles! Includes detailed tracking worksheets and survival science insights.
