Essay

In this practice we were asked to choose a resource and look and react at how this specific resource placed itself within a network or system. Before I started this practice I have read quite a bit about bioluminescence and found myself fascinated by it. We live in a time where we are constantly looking for new ways of generating energy using natural resources like wind, water and the sun. Slowly but steady we invent new methods, but I believe we can use nature in an even more elaborated way than we are doing now.
Bioluminescence is a resource that made me think differently about generating light. Right now a lot of electricity is still created by the burning of fossil fuels. In 2017 64% of the worldwide generated electricity was due to this and approximately a quarter of the generated electricity is used to make light. This is ridiculously high and it would make such a difference if we found new sources. The past years LEDs have been used more and more. This is a very good substitute already, but still doesn’t use its energy to create light fully efficient.
Nature has its ways to generate light its own. Multiple organisms have this ability, for instance fireflies, jellyfish, fungi and types of algae. They have this ability due to a chemical reaction between luciferin and luciferase. Luciferase is an enzyme. When luciferin in combination with ATP reacts with it, it oxidizes and produces oxyluciferin, which has light as a predominant byproduct. In some organisms this chemical reaction happens in them. However, quite some sea creatures aren’t able to produce this reaction themselves, so they house bacteria that can.
This natural method of generating light is definitely the future. However, much more research needs to be done. This practice is obviously too short to be able to do research and come with a product that uses this method of electricity/light generation. So I used my time to do a more in depth research on it. Now that I have gained a bit more knowledge about the principle of bioluminescence I’d like to set up a plan for a further research and some proposals to put it to use.
I haven’t studied a lot of biology and chemistry before this so I’m pretty new to all the elaborated information in these work fields. Therefore I’d put together a team to cover the multiple expertises that are necessary within this project. For a start, I’d need someone who’s known with the biological aspects of it. Next to that, someone who studied chemistry might also come in handy. They can provide knowledge on how to maximize the effects of bioluminescence. Getting in touch with the TU delft might also be a good move since they have experience with developing this kind of projects.
In combination with the expertise of these other work fields I’d like to design new methods to illuminate urban areas such as Rotterdam. Rotterdam is one of the most light polluted areas in the world, this is because of the harbor, the greenhouses and because it is a densely populated area. If we are able to combine bioluminescence with the plant life in the city this would be a perfect substitute for artificial light sources. Having plants and trees that glow due to this chemical reaction would provide light using completely clean and efficient energy, give more green to the city and go against light pollution since the light is dimmer.
Another substitute for the streetlights can be to fully replace them by structures made by an organic material that will house bioluminescent bacteria. Instead of having lantern frames that house an artificial light source, the structure on its own will be the self-generating light source. However, this needs a lot more research before this could be realized.
The combination of biology, chemistry and creative design has always fascinated me and it is why I chose to research this subject a bit more in depth. I truly believe that the next steps in creating a new earth is in some cases by completely changing the sources of things. Society is completely adapted to the networks of electricity and light sources that are now in place, which makes it hard to change since it is so embedded in the “normal” system. It would therefore take quite some effort and research to successfully implement new resources. But if we think in the long run, we will need to change to these natural eco-friendly resources like bioluminescence step by step.

Sources



https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/bioluminescence/

https://theconversation.com/what-is-bioluminescence-and-how-is-it-used-by-humans-and-in-nature-100472

http://scpsystem.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/3/3/21333498/linda_booth_sweeney_-_systems_thinking_a_means_to_understanding_our_complex_world.pdf

https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/world-gross-electricity-production-by-source-2017

https://www.iea.org/fuels-and-technologies/lighting

https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=6.569057946782699&lat=6
777181&lon=580849&layers=B0FFFFFTFFFFFFFFF

https://www.globeatnight.org/light-pollution.php

https://livinglight.info

https://www.studioroosegaarde.net/project/glowing-nature

http://www.teresavandongen.com/Ambio