One of the most used toys in my house is a penguin-shaped lamp. It emits a dim light but enough to scare monsters and furniture corners that can play tricks on us. So when I saw this invention I could not help researching on it.
What is it, another luminous toy of the usual? Well no, it is a living organism that shows us that Biology can be fun with dino, the dinosaur that shines in the dark.
Ok, shine. But what makes it different?
Basically he is alive. Let's see, I explain myself.
Designed by the Yonder Biology company, the "dino" is the habitat of a Dinoflagellata seaweed, specifically of the species Pyrocystis fusiformis which has a very cool quality, is able to produce light, what scientists call bioluminescence, when they are physically agitated.
The algae performs photosynthesis during the day and shines at night. It's that simple.
According to company representatives, the goal is to present biology to children as something fun and interesting. Through this "dino" you can see how the "bugs" it contains glow brightly when you shake them. In addition the algae have a half-life of one to three months depending on the care we do for them, which makes this toy a way for our children interact with nature taking care of her. You can also buy special food to keep them alive almost indefinitely, since the algae have been improved to increase their light capacity, as well as density and growth capacity.
In case someone is thinking about whether it is not dangerous to have a "phosphorescent bug" at home, tell you that this type of algae is harmless, for humans at least, although they do not recommend ingesting it. Given that it is a seaweed I doubt that it tastes good.
The project was presented a few months ago and the crowdfunding model was used to finance it, which has been a success. The first units will be produced from next year.
I'm sure my kids would be looking forward to the night to make the dinosaur light up.
Here you have the video presentation of the project. Biology can be fun: dino, the dinosaur that shines at night
