https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about-us/press-office/superbugs-science-museum

Superbugs: The Fight for Our Lives

"Ahead of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Superbugs: The Fight For Our Lives examines the antibiotic resistance crisis on a global scale.... 

Examining antibiotic resistance at the microscopic, human and global scale, this exhibition features remarkable scientific research from across the globe and reveals the personal stories of those waging war on superbugs.

Visitors will see twelve real bacteria colonies in the exhibition, including nine bacteria that the World Health Organisation classifies as a significant threat to human health. Grown by bioartist Anna Dumitriu, these include Staphylococcus aureus, one of the earliest superbugs identified and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which now has several resistant strains. Penicillium mould, recently grown from original samples used by Alexander Fleming in the discovery of penicillin, will also be on display along with a digital interactive examining the microscopic world of bacteria. 

At the human scale, we delve into the stories of those tackling antibiotic resistance. Geoffrey, a former patient who was in isolation for five months after antibiotics failed to treat a superbug acquired during surgery, shares his story with visitors. Doctors Zoe Williams and Imran Rafi examine why millions of antibiotics are taken unnecessarily, and visitors can investigate how Sarah Whitney prevents bacteria spreading at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. With agriculture responsible for almost half of antibiotic use, the exhibition also explores how a robot ‘chicken’ and listening to pigs coughing can help farmers reduce antibiotic use....

On display are 14,000 pills, illustrating the two-year treatment needed to combat superbug TB. Visitors can also try to halt the worldwide spread of a superbug (acting as head of a global health organisation) in a new interactive game. 

Thirty years since the last new class of antibiotics were approved for human use, scientists are hunting for new antibiotics in unusual places. Visitors can see Komodo dragon blood and watch as University of Illinois researchers dive into Icelandic fjords, both potential sources of new antibiotics. Brazilian leafcutter ants will also be on show. University of East Anglia scientists believe the superbug-killing antibiotics produced by bacteria which live on the ants may be another source of antibiotics.

Four prototypes made by teams across the globe vying to win the £8 million Longitude Prize will also be on display for the first time. South Africa’s Stellenbosch University is developing a test that can detect when the body’s immune system responds to a bacterial infection, while the UK’s GFC Diagnostics has created a test which turns blue when bacteria with antibiotic resistant genes are identified.... 

Superbugs: The Fight For Our Lives features nine bacteria classified by the World Health Organisation as posing the greatest threat to human health: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterobacter cloacae. These bacteria are dead and stored in sealed containers...." 

The report Delivering Bad News: Presenting Negative Stories to an International Audience uses the exhibition project Superbugs, curated by Sheldon Paquin, to show "how adapting international traveling exhibitions on bristly subjects to suit the sensitivities of different cultures is critical to connecting with local audiences."

"Research has shown that personal accounts, rather than standalone facts or statistics, can be more useful in encouraging audiences to identify with a sensitive or negative narrative, so we placed a focus on human stories. The Superbugs template included “people profiles” of individuals on the forefront of antibiotic resistance, including a patient, a doctor, a nurse, a farmer, an environmental scientist, and others. The selection of individuals was modified in each location to reflect that culture’s perceptions of experts and testimonials."