Our speaker was Dr Nazima Pathan of Cambridge University’s Department of Paediatrics, who is also one of our Rosedale parents, and the aliens in question are the millions of bacteria which inhabit our bodies, making up what is known as our ‘microbiome’.

Dr Pathan explained the beneficial, in fact essential, role which many of these bacteria play in helping to keep our bodies healthy, including maintaining the functioning of our digestive system.  She discussed how a healthy balanced diet can help to keep our little microbial friends happy, leading to better health for us too!

The pupils enjoyed a very interactive session, with lots of questions from the audience and a practical demonstration, involving a group of pupils and some simple equipment, including a plastic bag, a pair of tights and some drinking cups, of how food passes through the digestive system.  This display achieved just the right balance of fascination and yuckiness!

The Coronavirus could not fail to be mentioned in the question and answer section, and this led to a fascinating discussion of the roles of microorganisms both as heroes and villains in the story of human health.

We are very grateful to Dr Pathan for taking the time to come and inspire our pupils.  They learned much of value about the microscopic world around us and there was much food for thought about future careers in science and medicine.