NEWS Two researchers at Umeå University have developed a card game about microorganisms. With the help of playful game cards, they hope to spark curiosity in children and adults about life beneath the water’s surface – and to show that most microorganisms are actually helpful allies in our ecosystems.
Eric Capo plays the game MicroMates with visitors during ForskarFredag at Curiosum.
ImageGabrielle BeansEric Capo and Meifang Zhong study microorganisms in fjords and lakes, and how they respond to environmental changes. Together, they came up with an original way to share their knowledge: a card game.
The idea was born during a seminar, when Eric Capo and his colleagues found it difficult at times to keep up with a talk on microorganism – despite it being their own research topic.
“That’s when we came up with the idea of creating a card game, partly for ourselves but also to make it easier for people without a research background to understand the lives of microorganisms in the water,” says Eric Capo, who has always had a strong interest in science communication.
The game consists of cards representing different microorganisms, vividly illustrated by the French artist Thomas Cerigny.
In the game, microorganisms are called "mates", and the aim is to help them survive environmental changes while also fighting other microorganisms and threats from their surroundings. The game is highly collaborative and players can exchange attacks and support cards between each other.
“Our main target group is children from the age of six. At this very beginning, we expect mainly to reach science enthusiasts – and hopefully their children,” says Meifang Zhong.
Each playing card represents a microorganism.
ImageGabrielle BeansWhat is the purpose of the game?
“We want children to learn that microorganisms are naturally present in the environment, that not all of them are bad (most are actually good), and that they live in ecosystems that are affected by environmental changes, such as lack of oxygen in the water.
At present, the game consists of 30 mate cards. It is still in a development phase, and the team is receiving business support from the innovation support at Umeå University. The aim is a full launch in the coming years with a collection of 100 mate cards, around 40 help cards, and game rules in Swedish.
The game was showcased for the first time during Researchers' Night (ForskarFredag) at Curiosum on 26 September 2025.
“Overall, we received positive feedback. Many children came by to try the game. There is still a lot of work ahead for us to improve the gameplay and make it simpler for kids, as our main goal is for them to play and learn important knowledge without even realising it,” says Eric Capo.
Read more about the game at micromates.se.