DailyDirt: Bioluminescence

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

There's just something really cool about things that glow in the dark. It's even more breathtaking when the glowing originates from living creatures, like fireflies or deep sea fish. While nature uses bioluminescence for purposes such as attracting mates (or prey), humans seem to be more interested in bioengineering plants or animals that glow by using fluorescent proteins from organisms that produce them naturally. Here are some examples of what people are doing with fluorescent proteins. If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.
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Filed Under: bilirubin, biology, bioluminescence, biotech, firefly, fluorescent, glow in the dark, glowing plant, gmo, protein, silk, silkworms, unagi
Companies: kickstarter


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 24 Jun 2013 @ 5:35pm

    I was just researching about biopolymers and bio-adhesives, your next band-aid could be a mucus secreted from some sea marine life that attach themselves everywhere.

    I know it has nothing to do with bioluminescense but bio engineering in general.

    Also in Stockholm there is a project submission to build a skyscraper made from wood, before anybody laugh keep in mind that Japanese pagodas have been standing for hundreds of years,

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuned_mass_damper
    http://www.economist.com/node/456070

    B efore that I was looking into scintillators and the chemicals that make those possible. Because I saw how to build a ion chamber

    Youtube: Cheapest nuclear radiation detector - Ion chamber

    I will stop now.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Wolfy, 24 Jun 2013 @ 7:06pm

      Re:

      Those pagodas are still standing after hundreds of years in an earthquake zone!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    McCrea (profile), 24 Jun 2013 @ 7:42pm

    I remember being taught in 1986 or 87 that "they" had made glow-in-the dark tobacco plants. Seems old news, so I'm wondering why bring it up, but I'm just not curious enough to read the article.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pixelation, 24 Jun 2013 @ 9:27pm

    "Japanese researchers have discovered the first fluorescent protein in vertebrates, in the Unagi freshwater eel. "

    In other news, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is no longer leaking radiation...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Jun 2013 @ 1:02am

    Ah Bioluminescence...

    Makes me want to play my Firefly deck...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Lord Binky, 25 Jun 2013 @ 10:55am

    Yeah... You're not going to get streetlight trees unless you start giving them power.

    The energy plants get from the fraction of sunlight is not enough for them to produce anything more than faint levels of light unless you want the plant to starve to death.

    Even then, has anyone mentioned what happens with lights in the dark in the open? Insects love it, I doubt that will turn out well in a few ways.


    The fluorescent stuff is cool, get out your silk pajamas and blacklights!

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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