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Bioluminescence: Nature and Science at Work
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About Bioluminescence: Nature And Science At Work
Product Description What do giant squids, mantis shrimp, and fireflies have in common? These animals, along with a wide range of creatures, are able to give off light; this is called bioluminescence. Different species use different chemistries to bioluminesce, and they produce their light for a variety of reasons, including communication, hunting, and self-defense. Bioluminescence is a unique and fascinating adaptation found in the animal kingdom. Surprisingly, about half of all known phyla (a classification for animals that share the same body type) contain some bioluminescent species. Scientists don't yet understand all facets of bioluminescence, but they have managed to harness the glow and use it in a myriad of ways. One of the most important applications involves using bioluminescence as a microscope in medical studies. For example, laboratory scientists can create fluorescent malaria parasites to track the path by which the disease is spread from a mosquito to the animal it bites. Bioluminescent proteins are also helping researchers learn more about cancer, HIV and other viruses, and complex neurological processes. In fact, bioluminescent proteins are so useful to twenty-first-century medicine that two groups of scientists, one in 2008 and the other in 2014, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work with these proteins and related technologies. Even artists and fashion designers use bioluminescence in their work to create glowing, light-sensitive paintings and clothing lines. Author Marc Zimmer, a world-renowned specialist in fluorescent proteins, takes readers on a glowing journey into the frontiers of bioluminescence. From School Library Journal Gr 6 Up—On pages that alternate between black and lime green, Zimmer takes readers into the world of bioluminescence, or the production and emission of light by living creatures. After providing a brief explanation of how 19th-century physiologist Raphaël Dubois discovered that bioluminescence is a product of the enzyme luciferase and the molecule luciferin, Zimmer presents many fascinating examples of animals making use of this ability. The bristlemouth fish uses light-emitting organs on its head and stomach to blend in with water, deep-sea shrimp vomit luminescent slime as a defense mechanism, and dragonfish produce red lights under their eyes to find prey that are unable to perceive the color red. An entire chapter dedicated to fireflies, which flash lights in order to find a mate, focuses on the communication between males and females, as well as how females use bioluminescence to attract—and then eat—males of other species. A chapter on biofluorescence, the capability of some fish to absorb light and immediately give it off as a lower energy green or red light, is also included. Perhaps most intriguing of all is the description of the ways in which fluorescent proteins are used to study diseases such as parasitic illnesses, bird flu, and malaria. Words included in the text aren't highlighted or italicized to indicate which are defined in the glossary. However, there is ample back matter. VERDICT Featuring top-notch photos, this succinct presentation of a complex topic will make a stimulating addition to most science collections.—Meaghan Darling, Long Hill Township Public Library, Gillette, NJ Review "Zimmer knows the field of luminescence as only an involved scientist could. Put simply, he clearly explains what's happening in the field and why it matters. A fascinating look at bioluminescence and its unexpected applications." - starred review Booklist " Just by looking at this book's cover, you can see that it is extraordinary. The evolutionary adaptation of bioluminescence is an amazing one, made even more amazing when you think about how it came about through small incremental changes in DNA proteins over millions of years. " - Best of the Best in Science, Mackin Books in Bloom About the Author Marc Zimmer is the author of several nonficti
