Kosiba, Isabella

English

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Kosiba1Isabella Kosiba“Bioluminescent Jellyfish”Research Week 20233D Category ProposalResearch Problem Statement	The research problem of this project was finding a way to visually represent the biological phenomenon of bioluminescence in a three-dimensional sculpture. Bioluminescence, or the ability to glow in the dark through a series of chemical reactions, is seen within thousands of species in certain ecosystems. The exact reason for bioluminescence still remains a mystery to scientists. Some believe that it is a method of visual communication to ward of predators, while others believe that it serves as a mechanism to attract prey (Fleiss and Sarkisyan, 2019). Bioluminescence requires the presence of two unique chemicals: luciferin and luciferase or photoprotein. The color emitted is a direct result of the arrangement of luciferin molecules (“Bioluminescence”). The main problem I encountered during this project was creating a sculpture that not only looked like a normal jellyfish in the daylight, but also exhibited bioluminescence in the dark. Additionally, I needed to use a medium that was semi-transparent so that you could see the glow being emitted from within the body. Most sea-creatures have a semi-transparent appearance, so this was critical to achieve in my sculpture. Communication ObjectiveMy communication objective was to recreate a creature that most people are already familiar with, but to add the bioluminescence to communicate just how incredibly God designed these creatures. It is one thing to merely hear about the concept of bioluminescence, but to actually see it with your own eyes sparks a sense of wonder and amazement that God’s creation can only inspire. Many of these creatures remain out of our sight, within the dark depths of the ocean. These spectacular creatures deserve to be seen and witnessed. Visual Solution	After conducting thorough research into what would be the best method to imitate bioluminescence in a sculpture, I came across a glow-in-the-dark fine powder. To glow in the dark, this powder just needed to be exposed to UV light for a period. After being charged with the UV light, the powder glowed brightly. To imitate the semi-translucence of jellyfish, I found translucent polymer clay. After obtaining a few additional materials, I knew that creating a bioluminescent sculpture was possible.How it was Produced   	I began by sketching out various jellyfish in different poses. Once I selected the sketch that was the most visually dynamic, I sketched out a wire armature underneath it. I found a wooden base and attached a thick, sturdy wire to it. I painted the base black, and then coated it with a mixture of black sand and glue to create the appearance of an ocean floor. I then mixed together the translucent polymer clay, the glow-in-the-dark powder, and a clay softener to counteract the dryness of the powder. Once the clay was mixed, I constructed the head of the jellyfish. I then created each of the oral arms separately, and then inserted them into the head. I then fixed the jellyfish onto the wire armature, making sure it was slightly tilted to indicate motion. I then added long, thin wires to the head to create the tentacles. I used wire so they would remain in a fixed position. After baking the jellyfish with a heat gun, I painted the wires a pale pink color to match the rest of the jellyfish. To get the tentacles to glow like the rest of the body, I mixed together UV resin and some glow-in-the-dark powder and applied it. I then painted some details on the head of the jellyfish with resin and alcohol ink. Biblical WorldviewWith this project, I want to show just how amazing and creative our God is. He not only just designed these spectacular bioluminescent creatures, but he also created them each with the ability to live and survive, even in the harshest conditions down in the depths of the ocean. It was difficult enough to simply capture what these creatures look like in this project, but God also made it so all their cells and organs work together to keep them alive. It is truly a miracle that these creatures exist. The sheer variety and intricacies of the creatures of the ocean show just how creative God is. All of creation points to the Lord. Job 12:7-10 says, “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;      the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;     and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know      that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing      and the breath of all mankind” (English Standard Version).Works Cited“Bioluminescence.” Edited by Jeannie Evers, National Geographic: Education, National Geographic Society, https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/bioluminescence/. Fleiss, Aubin and Karen S. Sarkisyan. “A Brief Review of Bioluminescent Systems.” Current Genetics, vol. 65, no. 4, 2019, pp. 877-882., doi: 10.1007/s00294-019-00951-5.The ESV Study Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway, 2008. 

Bioluminescent Jellyfish

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Bioluminescent Jellyfish

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