Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello, I have some questions about the science fair project "Bioluminescence: Investigating Glow-in-the-Dark Dinoflagellates". How long will the dinoflagellates live? Also, I don't think they will survive up to my science fair. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could display my dinoflagellates at the science fair? Please answer soon, thank you!

According to the original author of the project, "You do not need to feed them since they use ambient light for photosynthesis, producing their own oxygen and food. The cultures can last several weeks to months. They need light to grow, and prefer to remain between 50°F and 70°F". That said, if you're starting the project now and need to have some live samples in March for your display, you might consider buying a second shipment (small one, just for the fair) a short time before the fair if your test cultures aren't happy. You will want to indicate on a card of some kind that these are representative of the algae and not the actual ones used in the experiment but that's okay.

You may also want to contact the supplier and ask how long the algae might live in optimal conditions and reserve some of the shipment in those conditions so that you have some to bring to the fair. They algae become luminescent from mechanical stress? Put some in a test tube, close the top and mount the tube securely in a box (painted black on the inside) which has just one hole in it. Judges and others who want to see the luminescence can look through the hole - if needed, you can shake the box gently to get the little guys to light up.

Hi,

Your dinos should continue to grow and divide as long as you give them light and seawater to live in. Are they still producing light when you agitate the tube? If so then they are healthy. They need to go through a daily cycle of light and darkness, 12 hours light and 12 hours dark is good, in order for their flashing to be synchronized to darkness. If you keep them in the dark continuously for too long they will die because they cannot photosynthesize without light.

It would be great if you could bring a microscope to the fair with a video camera and monitor to display your dinos but most people don’t have access to such a set-up. If you do have a microscope then you could take some still photos through the eyepiece using a phone camera, print them and display them on your board. If you can’t do that then just grab some photos of Pyrocystis from Google Images and print those. Find some that show the blue glow.

If you want to really make your project interesting you could make a glow box so visitors can see what the luminescent algae look like in the dark. You could set up a box that is totally dark inside but has a peephole with a shutter. Put a culture of Pyrocystis inside attached to a long stick or dowel protruding through the top of the box. When someone wants to see the luminescence, you open the shutter and have them look through the hole as you gently shake the culture to make it glow. Cool!

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Sybee

Okay, thank you both so much! You have helped a lot.
If anyone else has any advice, please post it on here. Thanks!