Brighton lecturer’s new book reveals the hidden universe living beneath our feet

A newly released book takes us on a microscopic safari featuring weird and wonderful creatures shows why the humble Moss plant could hold the key to major scientific breakthroughs.

What if the greatest wildlife safari on the planet wasn’t across continents, but on your doorstep? In his curiosity-fuelled new book “Moss Safari: Exploring the secret life in moss”, Dr Andy Chandler-Grevatt, takes readers into the fascinating microscopic world of everyday moss.

The book provides an easy-to-understand entry into the lives of mosses which appear as patches of green fluff on walls, garden lawns and forest floors. Thriving in damp places, mosses form thick, sponge-like carpets on the ground, on rocks, or even on trees playing home to creatures so strange and resilient – like the cuddly-sounding waterbears – they sound like science fiction.

Written with the pace of a nature documentary and the clarity of an expert science communicator, the book uncovers the tiny, almost-invisible creatures, including tardigrades (the scientific name for waterbears), nematodes and rotifers, that defy conventional biology and hold astonishing potential for the future of medicine, technology and our understanding of life itself.

For example, samples from moss-hosted tardigrades, which are famously known as indestructible due to their ability to survive extreme temperatures, are helping researchers to develop vaccines that do not need refrigeration. This could significantly improve vaccine production and cut costs and risks associated with the safe storage and transportation of vaccines.

Through this book, Dr Chandler-Grevatt encourages readers of all ages to grab a microscope, explore their local environment, and discover the extraordinary life hiding beneath mossy surfaces.

Dr Chandler-Grevatt, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences, said: “I’ve always been fascinated by the small stuff most people overlook. Once I realised there was a whole world living inside moss, with creatures that have outlived the major world-extinction events and shaped modern science, I was hooked. You don’t need to go to a rainforest or a nature reserve to explore biodiversity. It’s right there on your doorstep, on walls, pavements, rooftops. You just need a microscope and a bit of curiosity.

“This book is really about helping people see the extraordinary in the everyday. I want readers, whether they’re students, teachers or just nature-curious, to feel empowered to explore, ask questions, and see that science is something you can do at home. Moss Safari is an invitation to slow down, look closer, and rediscover the joy of noticing the unnoticed.”

With recent appearances on CBBC, Dr Chandler-Grevatt combines accessible science and deep philosophical questions about life, death, and survival, to produce a beginner’s guide to microscopy and a powerful call to reconnect with the overlooked corners of nature.

Far from disturbing ecosystems, the book champions ethical, low-impact exploration of common, resilient mosses with strong guidance on responsible sampling and rewilding of the environment.

The book was released on Thursday 19 June and is available for purchase. To find out more about Dr Chandler-Grevatt’s work – including tips and free resources so you can go on your own microscopic moss safari – head to Andy’s website.