Circadian Sea is an interactive display of bioluminescent algae. Cultures of Pyrocystis fusiformis are enclosed in a structure of transparent acrylic spheres, inviting users to manipulate and inspect the algae on a range of scales, from small groups of individually discernable plankton to the illumination of the entire structure. As users move their hands across the face of the construction, the spheres spin in place, agitating the algae and causing it to glow. Visitors may choose to focus on a single sphere of algae or use the length of their arms to spin all of the spheres at once.

Here is the video documentation of Circadian Sea that was included in the presentation:

In order to document my thesis work, I’ve been struggling to shoot photos and video of bioluminescent algae as it glows. The challenge stems from the fact that the algae only glows when it’s agitated, and it can only be seen in the dark. Last night I took a few pictures and shot some video with a Canon 5D Mark II and a 35mm lens; the results were much better than anything else I’d tried for these conditions. The video above isn’t perfect, but at least the algae is visible! I enclosed it in an acrylic sphere similar to the units that will make up the structure for Circadian Sea. Next step: set up a structure to hold it in place while it spins so the video’s not so jumpy.

Rough sketch for a solar powered chapel

A couple of weeks ago a visitor from Konarka came to speak to our Design Frontiers in Biology and Materiality class about their flexible and printable solar panels. The panels are extremely thin, bendable, and semi-transparent. They can be printed in different colors and patterns. I worked with Jill Haeffle and Elizabeth Fuller to develop a proposal for the use of the panels as a stained glass analog. Elizabeth focused on leveraging the classic form of the rose window to accommodate the patterning and wiring needed to draw power from the panels. Jill developed a plan for an allegorical image for a science center or museum, and I sketched out a plan for a memorial or nondenominational chapel. I proposed a tessellated pattern based on Penrose tiling for the window, and an array of LED lighting inside the building. A soft light would shine through the solar window during daylight hours (similar to the light through a traditional stained glass window), but enough energy could be drawn and stored from the solar panels to power soft lighting indoors throughout the evening, as well. Take a look at our slides or read a summary of the project on Elizabeth’s blog.

Thesis Midterm Presentation Slides

We had a few visitors in class last week, and I really enjoyed hearing their feedback on my thesis. In developing my presentation, I realized that I have several unanswered questions that I’m grappling with, outside of the technical challenges of developing a rewarding way for people to interact with bioluminescent algae. We had a great conversation about my reasons for mediating this experience at all. In other words, why am I building this display, instead of organizing walking tours to a beach? Why do I want to bring this natural material into a cultural environment? I still don’t have clear answers to these questions, but I’m getting there.

I’ve decided to let the display rely on the movements of people to agitate and light the algae, rather than using electronics. My classmate, Marco, had a great suggestion to use spheres or ball bearings to allow for movement of the algae. I’m excited about this idea, as it brings me back to my interest in physical interactions and kinesthetic learning, which brought me to ITP in the first place.

Much of c-lab’s work engages with ideas of life in extreme conditions. In one of their more well-known pieces, The Martian Rose, they subjected two roses to Martian environment for several hours. Another project, A Rose for Mars, involves genetically engineering a rose that could survive an extreme environment, such as the surface of Mars.

The Martian Rose (c-lab)

Current projects include The Mars Project: Biosynthesizing Otherness, an investigation into the edges of acceptable parameters for life, and  Sonic Impairment: An Audio Portrait, which aims to convey the complexities of impaired hearing through spatial representation. c-lab has also conducted a number of experiments, including the insertion of firefly genes into E.coli cells to create glowing bacteria.

Their website includes a great list of resources on Bio Art, from links to researchers and performers to sources for lab supplies.

Algae cultures (Pyrocystis fusiformis)

Our first assignment in Design Frontiers in Biology and Materiality was to recreate favorite science experiments from when we were kids. I immediately thought back to summer evenings I spent on Orcas Island, skipping stones into water that sparkled with bioluminescence. After doing a little reading to see if I could actually grow bioluminescent algae at home, I ordered some cultures. They had to be shipped overnight so they wouldn’t freeze en route, and they required a little recovery time after shipping. They seem to be thriving now.

These algae are very strict adherents to their circadian rhythms; they require 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness every 24 hours. I set up half of the cultures to photosynthesize during the day, and the other half are exposed to artificial light at night and kept in the dark during the day. The algae will only glow when it has experienced a period of darkness (i.e. if you take it into a dark room during what it’s accustomed to as daylight hours, you won’t see any glowing).