Event Summary
U3A Science & Technology Group, Tuesday 12 May 2026 2-3PM
I met Tanya Dempster through the Association of Science Education, she is also an experienced and passionate science educator.
Tanya invited me to do an online live Moss Safari for her U3A Science & Technology Group and so I delivered my introduction to Moss Safari – taking a new audience on the microscopic adventure.
It was also a first for the group, having a Zoom feed on a big screen to the audience in the hall. The Zoom worked well, sound and vision set up without a hitch. I love the ‘cinematic’ version of Moss Safari!
I was delighted because we saw both an eutardigrade and a heterotardigrade – both active – so we spent a bit of time with them. In total we managed to see three of the Big Five (tardigrades, rotifers and a nematode) plus several other microscopic marvels: a feather bard; mystery egg and a lot of cyanobacteria.
I love doing the online Moss Safaris, they are easy to do from the comfort of my desk, involve no travel (carbon footprint) and I can get to a wider range of places – the East Midlands in this case would be at least a long day trip from Brighton!
The downsides are that I don’t get to meet the people I present to, although we do have a discussion option and people often email me afterwards, which I welcome very much.
Tanya followed up with a message:
Thank you so much for your talk yesterday. The talk itself was very different to what we usually offer and was an eye opener to many that were there.
I was delighted about the interest in the Moss Safari book as well. If you would like a copy, see below.
Acknowledgements
Thank you Tanya Dempster for inviting me, also to Lynda Kovach for technical support.
Want a Moss Safari for your Group?
If you would like Moss Safari beamed into your online event, then please get in touch.
Moss Safari: The Book
Shortlisted for the Association of Science Educations Book of the Year Award 2025!
Get your copy now and join the adventure
Moss Safari: Exploring the secret life in moss is now out in the wild.
Go on a microscopic journey through moss to discover five extraordinary organisms. They share one thing – being able to survive in moss – and with that a host of incredible adaptations. Not only that, they each have amazing stories from their parts in evolution, geological history and human history. To witness these marvels, you do not need to travel far. Just find a piece of moss and use a basic microscope to reveal these animals, and many others, to you in real life.
Read the interview by Pelagic Publishing
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Moss Safari 