Theme of the Week: Glow in the Dark

As some of you know, I love all things that glow in the dark. What most of you don't know is that I almost went to study the organism that makes the red tide, Gonyaulax polyedra. As an undergraduate and graduate student, I studied circadian rhythms (daily rhythms) and Gonyaulax, a single celled organism, has loads including glowing in the dark. Yep, I almost go my PhD in glow in the dark critters.

So it is no wonder that I still marvel at all things glowing. This week I am going to suggest a few ways to play with the idea and talk about some of the science behind glowing.

To kick things off, I am going to send you to a link with Steve Spangler. Here he shows you how to make your pumpkin glow in the dark.

Unlike just painting them, which might work as well, these pumpkins will look reasonably pumpkin-ish even during the day.

The glow in the dark powder here is phosphorescent. It absorbs light energy during the day and emits  or  gives off, the light for a time after the light sources (the sun) is gone. They won't glow forever, but long enough for some fun to be had.

Animal of the Weekend: Hoary Bat

Image from: http://home.earthlink.net/~stremington/index.html

In honor of the possibility of our first frost, I thought it might be a good moment to stop and check out the Hoary Bat. They are one of the nine species of bat that live in New England and are named after a Hoar Frost.

So what is a hoar frost, you ask?  Well it is a bit complicated but essentially when objects, like the ground or grass, get cooler than the air above them frost forms. In the summer you get liquid water condensation on the out side of your frosty beverage and in the winter, you get frozen water condensation or hoar frost.

If you want to celebrate bats, here  are some extra ideas for bat activities.

October Messy Fingers

It is that time of year again - Messy Fingers starts!  Here are the dates for October:

Oct 2 - pumpkins

Oct 9 - leaves

Oct 16 - air

Oct 23 - spiders

If you sign up once you are in for all four classes. Classes start at 10:30am at the Millbury Public Library and run about 45-60 minutes. 

Class size is limited, so please sign up early.

Call the library to sign up - (508) 865-1181.

A word about safety...

As I was reading my usual science blogs, one really stood out. Here is a word of warning about glow sticks.

I love all things glowing and sparkling - so I always look at the pintrest posts with glow sticks. I do love many of them and have pinned ideas with glow sticks. However, do NOT open up the glow sticks.

Really - they contain chemicals that can be dangerous if swallowed. Yeah, I hear you that you are not going to swallow them, but can you say the same thing about your pets or kids?

If a glow stick cracks, and I've had a few do that, toss it out and wash your hands.

If you really need a glow, and I understand the need, try paint or using a black light. I hear there are many unexpected things that will glow like tonic water.

But if you really want to get your geek on, check this out.This is not a video for preschoolers, but explains how florescent dyes work, the chemical reactions needed to make glow sticks, and why you need certain chemicals for each reaction. It is a cool video to watch where he does some really great science asking questions and then collecting data.

Fun Friday Fact

Fireflies are the state insect of Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

Ok so that is really totally fun, so here's another one:

Female fireflies of the Photuris genus mimic other firefly species flash patterns so that when a male from another species responds, she eats him.

Anybody know what the state insect is of Massachusetts?

Book Review: The Very Lonely Firefly

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle is the story of a firefly searching for other fireflies. Along the way he finds other lights like a lantern and a candle. Once he finds other fireflies, he's happy to be flashing right along with them.

I've always loved this book. Mine was a gift from a dear friend so it has special meaning.I would recommend finding a copy that has the lights at the end. They make for a special surprise.

4/5 stars.

Animal of the Week: Lighting Bugs

The look so plain and uninteresting in the daylight, but come dusk, lighting bugs reveal their special magic.

Lighting bugs, or fireflies, are insects with six legs, three body parts, and wings. They are actually beetles.

Male lighting bugs emit flashes and glows to attract females. In some species the female glows as well. The light is greenish-yellow, yellow, blue or in some species even reddish. The pattern is specific to each species. Lighting bugs like to live near marshes or other wetlands and can usually be found flashing within a few hours of dusk.

Ok the wicked cool thing about lighting bugs is that their light is without heat. It is a chemical process using an enzyme called luciferase. This is the same chemical that causes the organisms in a Red Tide to flash.

Catching lighting bugs is a fun summer ritual. Since they like wet areas, lighting bugs are often found with mosquitoes. If you use bug spray be sure to wash your hands before catching lighting bugs. Handle them with care.

Put the lighting bugs in a jar with a lid that has holes for air circulation. Don't keep them long -  no more than overnight - they are busy and won't live long in a jar.

If you want to participate in Citizen Science, consider Firefly Watch from the Museum of Science in Boston, MA. We have done this in our home for years and it is an excellent introduction to Citizen Science for kids.