Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, have created micro*scope, a free, searchable knowledge environment for exploring the microbial world. Microbiology can easily be incorporated into the curriculum, because microbial communities are easy to access. Organisms grow quickly, making certain arrays of experiments more practical. A growing outside interest exists in the role of microbes in evolution ecology and astrobiology, and issues relating to the use of living animals do not arise. Also, the interactive website brings technology into the classroom, which enhances students' computer skills, and is dynamic, which responds to the needs of the education community. (Contains 1 figure and 2 online resources.)