News' title: Teen studies living flash lights of the deep.
Date of publication: October the 27th, 2014.
Source of information: Student Society for Science:
https://student.societyforscience.org/article/teen-studies-living-flashlights-deep
Scientific field: Biology (veterinary).
Extract:
This article explains the discovery that a thirteen year-old girl has found out. She's called Caroline and she's spent 3 years studying the giant flash light fish (Anomalops katoptron), in the Aquarium of the Pacific, as a volunteer.
This fish presents a small glow-in-the-dark patch in a pocket of tissue under each eye. Caroline has discovered that this phenomenon is due to the symbiosis between a bioluminescent bacteria. To “flash” its light, the fish rotates the bacteria-filled pocket toward the outside of its body, and when it wants to hide its light, it swivels the pocket back toward the inside.
Caroline carries on studying this specie and has already presented her results to the Broadcom MASTERS' contest.
Critical appraisal:
I'm really impressed by the discoveries of this teenager, not because they are of great importance, but because of the effort and dedication she's put in her research. Her example makes clear that you don't have to be an adult to investigate or to make a research on something that intrigues you. You just need to have interest and constancy.
It's great t know that there are teenagers like her in the world, because the future of this planet lies in our hands.
Glossary:
bacterium (plural bacteria) A single-celled organism. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside animals.
bioluminescence The light emitted by certain animals —such as fireflies, squid and deep-sea fishes — and by some shallow-water algae.
crustaceans Hard-shelled water-dwelling animals including lobsters, crabs and shrimp.
denizens inhabitants
prey Animal species eaten by others.
shallow superficial
symbiosis A relationship between two species that live in close contact.
