Denise King currently works as the Exhibit Developer in the San Francisco Exploratorium?s department of Life Sciences. She was trained in biology at both the University of Santa Barbara and San Francisco State University. Denise builds and designs complex life support systems for public display for the Exploratorium and other science institutions around the world. Denise's interest in gardening and the interactions between humans and plants have led to a variety of interesting project ideas.
Some of the shows Denise has worked on in the past include: Psychobotany: Revolutionary Breakthroughs in Human/Plant Communication, the Frogs Temporary Exhibition, and the Traits of Life Collection and Traveling Show. Denise is currently working on projects involving the experimentation with bioluminescent bacteria.
Some of the shows Denise has worked on in the past include: Psychobotany: Revolutionary Breakthroughs in Human/Plant Communication, the Frogs Temporary Exhibition, and the Traits of Life Collection and Traveling Show. Denise is currently working on projects involving the experimentation with bioluminescent bacteria.
For Technebiotics, Denise will be showing various window-sized habitats filled with water collected from the salt ponds located in the southern part of San Francisco. The tanks will contain brines of low, medium and high salt content. The bioluminescent bacteria within these tanks will change their colors according to the amount of oxygen they are exposed to. The viewers will be able to control the amount of oxygen within the tanks by pumping oxygen to the bacteria through a manually controlled air system. The bacteria will glow brightly when exposed to more oxygen and then quickly darken as the oxygen levels in their surroundings drop.
-Glass Aquarium or Glass Tank of any size
-Salt Water containing Bioluminescent Bacteria
-Oxygen Air Pump System
-Salt Water containing Bioluminescent Bacteria
-Oxygen Air Pump System
Cost:
The cost will vary on the size of the experiment. The estimated cost lies between $50 and $250.
Time:
The amount of time it requires to complete this experiment depends entirely on the time it takes to find the above materials. The estimated time is between 4 and 10 hours.
The cost will vary on the size of the experiment. The estimated cost lies between $50 and $250.
Time:
The amount of time it requires to complete this experiment depends entirely on the time it takes to find the above materials. The estimated time is between 4 and 10 hours.
Bioluminescence is a form of luminescence, or cold light emission. In the deep-sea ocean over ninety percent of marine life produce some sort of bioluminescence in one form or another. With one exception (a limpet from New Zealand), all luminous organisms are found in saltwater habitats. Bioluminescence is used for a variety of behavioral purposes and there is usually a correlation between the environment of the organism and the color of light they emit. Most forms of bioluminescence are lighter and brighter at night, following a circadian rhythm.
There are four main accepted theories for the evolution of bioluminescent traits: camouflage, attraction, repulsion, and communication. While some creatures use bioluminescence as a lure to attract prey, others use it to repel potential predators in the deep sea. Bioluminescence is thought to play a direct role in communication between bacteria. It promotes the symbiotic induction of bacteria into host species, and may play a role in colony aggregation.
There are several different systems of bioluminescence that offer unique solutions to problems. The firefly luciferace system, for example, has been used extensively in the measuring of ATP levels in environmental samples. Luciferase systems are widely used in the field of genetic engineering as reporter genes. These systems have also been harnessed for biomedical research using bioluminescence imaging. Industrial designers are currently investigating the structures of photophores, the light producing organs in bioluminescent organisms.
There are four main accepted theories for the evolution of bioluminescent traits: camouflage, attraction, repulsion, and communication. While some creatures use bioluminescence as a lure to attract prey, others use it to repel potential predators in the deep sea. Bioluminescence is thought to play a direct role in communication between bacteria. It promotes the symbiotic induction of bacteria into host species, and may play a role in colony aggregation.
There are several different systems of bioluminescence that offer unique solutions to problems. The firefly luciferace system, for example, has been used extensively in the measuring of ATP levels in environmental samples. Luciferase systems are widely used in the field of genetic engineering as reporter genes. These systems have also been harnessed for biomedical research using bioluminescence imaging. Industrial designers are currently investigating the structures of photophores, the light producing organs in bioluminescent organisms.
Further Information:
Bioluminescence Website
Wonderful encyclopedia article about Bioluminescence
Related Contributors in Technebiotics:
Kamau Patton will present a workshop on mapping and graphing biological complexity and cellular automata, focusing on the pigmentation, patterns and shapes of complex structures, and discussing simple rules governing growth
Kristina Yu will lead participants in collecting their own cheek cell specimens, preparing them on slides, and viewing these cells under a microscope. Participants will have the chance to print out and take home images of their own magnified cheek cells.
George and Steve Lo from Aqua Forest Aquarium's in San Francisco will show how to construct intricately balanced ecosystems, and cover the design and installation of aquariums that replicate natural environments.
Bioluminescence Website
Wonderful encyclopedia article about Bioluminescence
Related Contributors in Technebiotics:
Kamau Patton will present a workshop on mapping and graphing biological complexity and cellular automata, focusing on the pigmentation, patterns and shapes of complex structures, and discussing simple rules governing growth
Kristina Yu will lead participants in collecting their own cheek cell specimens, preparing them on slides, and viewing these cells under a microscope. Participants will have the chance to print out and take home images of their own magnified cheek cells.
George and Steve Lo from Aqua Forest Aquarium's in San Francisco will show how to construct intricately balanced ecosystems, and cover the design and installation of aquariums that replicate natural environments.