Jake Marote

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TEKS: Science: 3.2D, 3.9A, 4.2D, 5.2D, 6.2E; ELA: 3.13A, 4.13A, 5.13A, 6.12A

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Surf's Up for Science

How Cliff Kapono combines surfing with science to study human health

May/June 2019
By Ariel Bleicher and Katie Free

Joel Schumacher

Kapono, a professional surfer and a scientist, is investigating the tiny organisms that live on surfers’ bodies.

Cliff Kapono thought he might be in trouble when his science professor called him into his office. Kapono was a new student at the University of California, San Diego. “I see you’ve been doing a lot of surfing,” the professor said. “I surf every day,” Kapono admitted nervously. He thought his professor would be upset.

To Kapono’s surprise, the professor replied, “That’s awesome!” The teacher suggested that Kapono come up with a science project that involved surfing. “It was the first time I realized that I didn’t have to separate these two loves,” says Kapono, a Native Hawaiian, who grew up riding the waves. 

The project Kapono settled on was right under his nose—and all over his body! He decided to study microbes. These tiny organisms are too small to see with the naked eye. But they live everywhere: the ocean, your kitchen sink, even inside your body.

Different microbes thrive in different environments. Kapono wondered if surfers had different microbes living on them than the average person. Searching for the answer would take him all over the world. 

Cliff Kapono’s science professor called him into his office. Kapono thought he might be in trouble. He was a new student at the University of California, San Diego. “I see you’ve been doing a lot of surfing,” the professor said. “I surf every day,” Kapono said nervously. He thought his professor would be upset.

The professor replied, “That’s awesome!” Kapono was surprised. The teacher told Kapono he should come up with a science project related to surfing. “It was the first time I realized that I didn’t have to separate these two loves,” says Kapono. He’s a Native Hawaiian. He grew up riding the waves.

The project Kapono picked was right under his nose. Actually, it was all over his body! He chose to study microbes. They’re tiny creatures. They’re too small to see with the naked eye. But they live everywhere. That includes the ocean, your kitchen sink, and even your body.

Different microbes thrive in different places. Kapono wondered if the microbes on surfers were different than the microbes on other people. Searching for the answer would take him all over the world. 

Courtesy Cliff Kapono

Kapono wondered how spending time in the ocean affects surfers’ microbiomes.

Home Sweet Body

It may seem worrisome to know that your body is crawling with trillions of critters. But it’s completely normal! Microbes live on every part of the human body, from inside your mouth to between your toes (see Meet the Body Bugs).

Some microbes can make people sick, but most do no harm at all. Many microbes are good for us. Bacteria in your intestines help you digest, or break down, food. Other microbes fight infections.

Everyone has a different collection of microbes in and on their body. This collection is called the microbiome. A person’s surroundings can affect his or her microbiome. For example, farmers have different stomach bacteria than city dwellers. Dog owners carry different microbes than people without dogs. What you eat also affects your microbiome.

Your microbiome is an ecosystem like a rainforest, says Kapono, “but on a much, much smaller scale.” Learning about microbiomes can help scientists understand how to keep people healthy.

There are trillions of critters on your body. That may seem worrying to know. But it’s totally normal! Microbes live on every part of the human body. That includes from inside your mouth to between your toes (see Meet the Body Bugs).

Some microbes can make people sick. But most do no harm at all. Many microbes are good for us. Bacteria in your gut help you break down food. Other microbes fight infections.

Everyone has a different set of microbes in and on their body. This collection is called the microbiome. A person’s surroundings can affect his or her microbiome. For example, farmers have different stomach bacteria than city dwellers. Dog owners carry different microbes than people without dogs. What you eat also affects your microbiome.

Your microbiome is an ecosystem like a rainforest, says Kapono. “But it’s on a much, much smaller scale.” Studying microbiomes can help scientists learn how to keep people healthy.

Meet the Body Bugs

Different microbes thrive on different parts of the human body. Here are a few critters that are common to most of us.

Different microbes thrive on different parts of the human body. Here are a few of the most common critters on us.

DIGITAL STORM/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

DR. DAVID PHILLIPS/VISUALS UNLIMITED/GETTY IMAGES 

Article Image    MOUTH BACTERIA
Streptococcus mutans

This species, which causes tooth decay, feeds on sugar from your food. Daily brushing can keep the bacteria at bay.

Article Image    MOUTH BACTERIA
Streptococcus mutans

This species causes tooth decay. The bacteria feed on sugar from your food. Daily brushing can keep them at bay.

EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    EYELASH MITES
Demodex folliculorum

These harmless critters live at the base of your eyelashes. They eat dead skin cells and oil on your face.

Article Image    EYELASH MITES
Demodex folliculorum

These harmless critters live at the base of your eyelashes. They eat dead skin cells and oil on your face.

SCIMAT SCIMAT/SCIENCE SOURCE/GETTY IMAGES

Article Image    GUT BACTERIA
Lactobacillus acidophilus

These friendly bacteria help your body digest food. Without them, you wouldn’t get as many nutrients from a meal.

Article Image    GUT BACTERIA
Lactobacillus acidophilus

These friendly bacteria help your body digest food. You wouldn’t get as many nutrients from a meal without them.

SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    ARMPIT BACTERIA
Staphylococcus epidermidis

When these common skin microbes build up in your armpits, they can cause a real stink!

Article Image    ARMPIT BACTERIA
Staphylococcus epidermidis

These common skin microbes build up in your armpits. They can cause a real stink!

DR. KARI LOUNATMAA/SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    FOOT FUNGUS
Trichophyton rubrum

These fungi thrive in sweaty spots between your toes—and can lead to an itchy condition called athlete’s foot.

Article Image    FOOT FUNGUS
Trichophyton rubrum

These fungi thrive in sweaty spots between your toes. They can lead to an itchy condition called athlete’s foot.

Think: Where else on your body might microbes build up?

Think: Where else on your body might microbes build up?

Meet the Body Bugs

Different microbes thrive on different parts of the human body. Here are a few critters that are common to most of us.

Different microbes thrive on different parts of the human body. Here are a few of the most common critters on us.

DIGITAL STORM/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

DR. DAVID PHILLIPS/VISUALS UNLIMITED/GETTY IMAGES 

Article Image    MOUTH BACTERIA
Streptococcus mutans

This species, which causes tooth decay, feeds on sugar from your food. Daily brushing can keep the bacteria at bay.

Article Image    MOUTH BACTERIA
Streptococcus mutans

This species causes tooth decay. The bacteria feed on sugar from your food. Daily brushing can keep them at bay.

EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    EYELASH MITES
Demodex folliculorum

These harmless critters live at the base of your eyelashes. They eat dead skin cells and oil on your face.

Article Image    EYELASH MITES
Demodex folliculorum

These harmless critters live at the base of your eyelashes. They eat dead skin cells and oil on your face.

SCIMAT SCIMAT/SCIENCE SOURCE/GETTY IMAGES

Article Image    GUT BACTERIA
Lactobacillus acidophilus

These friendly bacteria help your body digest food. Without them, you wouldn’t get as many nutrients from a meal.

Article Image    GUT BACTERIA
Lactobacillus acidophilus

These friendly bacteria help your body digest food. You wouldn’t get as many nutrients from a meal without them.

SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    ARMPIT BACTERIA
Staphylococcus epidermidis

When these common skin microbes build up in your armpits, they can cause a real stink!

Article Image    ARMPIT BACTERIA
Staphylococcus epidermidis

These common skin microbes build up in your armpits. They can cause a real stink!

DR. KARI LOUNATMAA/SCIENCE SOURCE

Article Image    FOOT FUNGUS
Trichophyton rubrum

These fungi thrive in sweaty spots between your toes—and can lead to an itchy condition called athlete’s foot.

Article Image    FOOT FUNGUS
Trichophyton rubrum

These fungi thrive in sweaty spots between your toes. They can lead to an itchy condition called athlete’s foot.

Think: Where else on your body might microbes build up?

Think: Where else on your body might microbes build up?

Surfer Samples

DANIEL LORCH

He took samples of microbes from the bodies of surfers around the world.

Kapono can spend hours surfing in the ocean every day. He wondered if surfers like him picked up microbes from ocean water that joined their microbiomes.

To find the answer, Kapono visited surfers around the globe, from Hawaii to Iceland. With their permission, he rubbed cotton swabs on their faces, feet, and other body parts to collect the microbes living there. Kapono even took small samples of surfers’ poop to study the organisms that lived in their stomachs and intestines.

“At first, the surfers were taken aback since I wanted to take a Q-tip and rub it all over their bodies,” says Kapono. But once they understood the project, they were supportive.

Kapono collected more than 500 samples from the surfers. Then he worked with a research team to study the samples in a lab. They compared the surfer samples to microbes collected from non-surfers. That would reveal whether the ocean “leaves its fingerprints on surfers,” Kapono says.

Kapono can spend hours surfing in the ocean every day. He wondered if surfers like him picked up microbes from ocean water. He also wondered if those microbes joined their microbiomes.

Kapono visited surfers around the globe to find the answer. He traveled from Hawaii to Iceland. He rubbed cotton swabs on surfers with their permission. He sampled their faces, feet, and other body parts. That allowed him to collect the microbes living there. Kapono even took small samples of surfers’ poop. He wanted to study the microbes living in their gut.

“At first, the surfers were taken aback since I wanted to take a Q-tip and rub it all over their bodies,” says Kapono. But they got onboard once they understood the project.

Kapono gathered more than 500 samples from the surfers. Then he worked with a research team. They studied the samples in a lab. They compared the surfer samples with microbes from non-surfers. That would reveal whether the ocean “leaves its fingerprints on surfers,” Kapono says.

VISSLA

Kapono compared the microbes from surfers to those from non-surfers.

Ocean Traces

It turns out that even though surfers leave the ocean, the ocean doesn’t leave surfers. Kapono found large numbers of ocean microbes living on and inside the surfers he studied—including himself!

The amount of time a person spent in the water was also a factor. Surfers who stayed in the ocean for longer periods of time had more types of ocean bacteria living in their microbiomes.

Kapono hopes his research helps people understand that they are connected to the planet in many ways. “If we know that nature gives us bacteria that keep us healthy, hopefully we can take better care of it,” he says.

Surfers may leave the ocean. But it turns out that the ocean doesn’t leave them. Kapono found large numbers of ocean microbes living on and inside the surfers he studied. That includes himself!

The amount of time a person spent in the water was also a factor. Some surfers stay in the ocean for longer periods of time. They had more types of ocean bacteria living in their microbiomes.

People are connected to the planet in many ways. Kapono hopes his research helps people understand that. “If we know that nature gives us bacteria that keep us healthy, hopefully we can take better care of it,” he says.

Body Dwellers

Which body parts have more microbes?

Kate Francis

Step 3

Observe

Trillions of microbes, such as fungi and bacteria, live all over the human body.

Trillions of microbes live all over the human body. They include fungi and bacteria.

Ask a Research Question

How do the microbes living on different parts of your body vary?

How do the microbes living on different parts of your body vary?

Materials

• nitrile gloves

• 3 slices of boiled potato, each at least 2 centimeters thick (see preparation instructions in the Teacher’s Guide) 

• 3 resealable sandwich-sized plastic bags 

• marker 

• tape 

• 2 paper plates 

• cotton swabs 

• paper and pencil

• nitrile gloves

• 3 slices of boiled potato, each at least 2 centimeters thick (see preparation instructions in the Teacher’s Guide) 

• 3 resealable sandwich-sized plastic bags 

• marker 

• tape 

• 2 paper plates 

• cotton swabs 

• paper and pencil

Procedure

1. Pick two of the following body parts: mouth, nose, toes, armpit, forearm. Which do you think contains more microbes? Why? Make a prediction.

2. Put on your gloves. Place one potato slice inside a plastic bag and seal it tight. This will be your control, or the standard against which you compare your results. Use the marker to write “control” on the bag. Then place each remaining potato slice on a separate plate.

3. Use a cotton swab to gently rub one spot on your body for 45 seconds. Rub the same end of the swab on a potato slice for 30 seconds.
The potato provides microbes with nutrients to help them grow.

4. Place the slice in a bag and seal it. Use the tape to reinforce the seal. Label the bag.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the second part of your body.

6. Set the bags aside for at least 48 hours to allow the microbes to grow. Do not open the bags for any reason. (Note: Within a few hours, parts of the potatoes will begin turning black because they’ve been exposed to the air. These black areas are not microbes.)

7. Study the potato slices inside the bags. Record your observations. Throw away the sealed bags after completing the questions below.

1. Pick two of the following body parts: mouth, nose, toes, armpit, forearm. Which do you think contains more microbes? Why? Make a prediction.

2. Put on your gloves. Place one potato slice inside a plastic bag. Seal it tightly. This will be your control. It’s the standard against which you compare your results. Use the marker to write “control” on the bag. Then place the other potato slices on a separate plate.

3. Use a cotton swab to gently rub one spot on your body for 45 seconds. Rub the same end of the swab on a potato slice for 30 seconds. The potato provides microbes with nutrients to help them grow.

4. Place the slice in a bag. Seal it. Use the tape to cover the seal and make sure it’s airtight. Label the bag.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the second part of your body.

6. Set the bags aside for at least 48 hours. This will allow the microbes to grow. Do not open the bags for any reason. (Note: Parts of the potatoes within a few hours will begin turning black. That’s because they’ve been exposed to the air. These black areas are not microbes.)

7. Study the potato slices inside the bags. Record what you see. Throw away the sealed bags after answering the questions below.

Results

How do the potatoes’ surfaces compare? Show your results in a data table.

How do the potatoes’ surfaces compare? Show your results in a data table.

Conclusions

1. Compare your results with those of another student. How are they similar and different?

2. Based on your results, which body part do you think is home to more microbes?    

1. Compare your results with those of another student. How are they similar and different?

2. Which body part do you think is home to more microbes based on your results?    

Body Dwellers

Which body parts have more microbes?

Kate Francis

Step 3

Observe

Trillions of microbes, such as fungi and bacteria, live all over the human body.

Trillions of microbes live all over the human body. They include fungi and bacteria.

Ask a Research Question

How do the microbes living on different parts of your body vary?

How do the microbes living on different parts of your body vary?

Materials

• nitrile gloves

• 3 slices of boiled potato, each at least 2 centimeters thick (see preparation instructions in the Teacher’s Guide) 

• 3 resealable sandwich-sized plastic bags 

• marker 

• tape 

• 2 paper plates 

• cotton swabs 

• paper and pencil

• nitrile gloves

• 3 slices of boiled potato, each at least 2 centimeters thick (see preparation instructions in the Teacher’s Guide) 

• 3 resealable sandwich-sized plastic bags 

• marker 

• tape 

• 2 paper plates 

• cotton swabs 

• paper and pencil

Procedure

1. Pick two of the following body parts: mouth, nose, toes, armpit, forearm. Which do you think contains more microbes? Why? Make a prediction.

2. Put on your gloves. Place one potato slice inside a plastic bag and seal it tight. This will be your control, or the standard against which you compare your results. Use the marker to write “control” on the bag. Then place each remaining potato slice on a separate plate.

3. Use a cotton swab to gently rub one spot on your body for 45 seconds. Rub the same end of the swab on a potato slice for 30 seconds.
The potato provides microbes with nutrients to help them grow.

4. Place the slice in a bag and seal it. Use the tape to reinforce the seal. Label the bag.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the second part of your body.

6. Set the bags aside for at least 48 hours to allow the microbes to grow. Do not open the bags for any reason. (Note: Within a few hours, parts of the potatoes will begin turning black because they’ve been exposed to the air. These black areas are not microbes.)

7. Study the potato slices inside the bags. Record your observations. Throw away the sealed bags after completing the questions below.

1. Pick two of the following body parts: mouth, nose, toes, armpit, forearm. Which do you think contains more microbes? Why? Make a prediction.

2. Put on your gloves. Place one potato slice inside a plastic bag. Seal it tightly. This will be your control. It’s the standard against which you compare your results. Use the marker to write “control” on the bag. Then place the other potato slices on a separate plate.

3. Use a cotton swab to gently rub one spot on your body for 45 seconds. Rub the same end of the swab on a potato slice for 30 seconds. The potato provides microbes with nutrients to help them grow.

4. Place the slice in a bag. Seal it. Use the tape to cover the seal and make sure it’s airtight. Label the bag.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the second part of your body.

6. Set the bags aside for at least 48 hours. This will allow the microbes to grow. Do not open the bags for any reason. (Note: Parts of the potatoes within a few hours will begin turning black. That’s because they’ve been exposed to the air. These black areas are not microbes.)

7. Study the potato slices inside the bags. Record what you see. Throw away the sealed bags after answering the questions below.

Results

How do the potatoes’ surfaces compare? Show your results in a data table.

How do the potatoes’ surfaces compare? Show your results in a data table.

Conclusions

1. Compare your results with those of another student. How are they similar and different?

2. Based on your results, which body part do you think is home to more microbes?    

1. Compare your results with those of another student. How are they similar and different?

2. Which body part do you think is home to more microbes based on your results?    

Life Science
Microbes
ecosystem

all the living and nonliving things that interact with one another in a place
microbes

organisms that are too small to see with the naked eye
fungi

living things that reproduce using cells called spores. Many fungi feed off dead plants and animals. Mushrooms, molds, and mildews are all fungi.
Bacteria

single-celled microscopic organisms that live in every environment on Earth    
microbiome

the collection of tiny organisms that live in a specific environment, such as a human body

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