More than 80 years of world-class support for science education
From our beginnings in 1927, Carolina Biological Supply Company has grown to become a leading supplier of science teaching materials. Today, from our headquarters in Burlington, North Carolina, we serve customers worldwide, including teachers, professors, home-school educators, and professionals in health and science-related fields.
Our Vision:
To be the leading hands-on science and math education company in America.
Our Mission:
To provide educators the finest products and services that help students of all ages learn and understand science and math.
Background
Carolina began as the vision of Dr. Thomas E. Powell Jr., a young geology and biology professor at Elon College (now Elon University). During the 1920s, science teachers had to collect most of the materials they used in their classes and laboratories, which took considerable time away from their primary responsibilities. Like other teachers, Dr. Powell was spending much of his own time in the field gathering specimens for his classes. Because he usually got more than he needed, he sold the surplus to his colleagues. Dr. Powell foresaw that the coming years would bring a growing need for his collecting abilities. At first, Dr. Powell operated Carolina part-time. However, by the mid-1930s, the demand for teaching specimens and materials had developed into a full-time profession, and Carolina Biological Supply Company was on its way. Dr. Powell’s vision of a company that would supply science materials to educational institutions around the world soon turned into reality.
Today
Carolina is truly one of the most extraordinary companies in the world. We work in partnership with educators and scientists to provide everything needed for science and math education, including:
- Living organisms including butterflies, drosophila, freshwater fish and much more
- Preserved specimens from each of the 5 kingdoms
- Materials for Life Science, Chemistry & Physics and Earth & Environmental Science
- Anatomical models and skeletons
- Laboratory equipment and supplies
- Microscopes and prepared microscope slides
- K-8 Curriculum programs, including the Science & Technology Concepts Program™ (STC Program™)
- Teacher resources including classroom activities
- Material Safety Data Sheets
- Lab & chemical safety information
- Genetics materials
- Books and charts
- Math products
- Biotechnology kits & materials
- Tissue culture materials
- And thousands of other items
Our trained biologists culture and ship over 30 species of protozoa, 150 types of bacteria and fungi, more than 130 kinds of algae, and numerous plant tissue cultures. We also maintain and culture over 75 strains of Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, for the educational market. Students throughout the country can selectively breed these organisms, gaining actual hands-on experience in genetics. Those who prefer plant genetics have a choice of more than 15 crosses of corn.
Our products also have been used by the scientific and health communities:
- Doctors needed medical leeches during surgery to reattach a person’s severed ear. We supplied the medical leeches, which prevented the blood from clotting and rejection from occurring.
- NASA scientists wanted to test moon rocks for the presence of life. They required luciferase, an enzyme found in fireflies that reacts with ATP (a molecule found in all living creatures). We supplied the luciferase.
- Astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia tested flatworms for regeneration in the zero gravity of space. We supplied the planarians.