Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Today we first worked with Dr. Babu. He showed us how scientists go about growing yeast, to gain enzymes in order to break down starch, which eventually produces ethanol. He started out by showing us what we would be doing. He went through step by step until we finally ended up with ethanol.
Then we got to do the experiment ourselves.
- Dilute yeast in test tubes
- Take a sample out
- Place sample on media
- Spread media around to ensure dispersion and isolation of cells
- Put lid on and place in incubator at 30°C until sufficient growth
- Select one colony
- Add it to 25 mL of medium
- Mix up solution
- Place in incubator
- After <X number of days> put <X number of mL> into a large container of media
This was to ferment the yeast and micro-organisms to find the enzyme to break down the starch in corn. After adding this solution, the mixture turned from cloudy to clear. This demonstrates how yeast enzymes were in starches and separate them out into single sugar molecules.
Next we headed down to the lab and met Adrian, a college student from Germany, where we were shown how to use a spectrometer and learned how it could be used to read the sugar and protein count in samples. If we found an excess amount of sugars, we knew that there was an enzyme in the solution breaking down the cellulose. We recorded our data, with the help of Adrian who is currently earning her Ph. D. She helped us to understand more clearly what was happening.
After working with Adrian, we tested our results from our samples yesterday. Steve, a scientist from New Zeeland, helped us take the pH levels of the grub samples we had prepared. Ours were all acidic. Steve told us that it was related to the acids that were given off by the chemical reaction that caused enzymes to be exposed.
Dr. Keller and his team continue to experiment over and over in hopes that they will solve the energy crisis. If they can find a material that can make poplar trees and/ or switchgrass into fuel, then the world can make a switch to those renewable resources as the main power provider. This is being done with corn and other plants, but they compete with the food industry and are not easily grown like the switchgrass and poplar trees.
After these experiments we did a curriculum related experiment. We talked about alternative energy sources in a discussion led by Teacher Argo Melissa. Then, we focused on wind energy. We created a pinwheel to simulate a windmill. Then we connected it to a generator. The pinwheel would turn in the wind, turning the generator, which was connected to a volt reader. Later we will go to the farm and take measurements and make adjustments.
Thursday, January 15th, 2009
Today was an awesome day!
It started out stinky with Dr. Babu and fermented yeast. We used our senses to evaluate growth of the yeast cells. We could see that the sample had become cloudy, and we could smell that they had a huge stink for such tiny organisms. I felt a sense of accomplishment that I had enabled this to happen.
Then we took some samples over to Jenny, a microscopy specialist. She helped us prepare samples and slides to digitally simulate microorganisms. We prepared the slides then looked at them under a high-powered microscope. We looked at the tiny microbes attached to a piece of switch grass. I think it is incredible how technology can produce 3D images of microscopic organisms.
Then it was off to the Computer Lab…
Then we got a chance to look at one of the world's fastest computers. Going into it, I had a mental picture that was completely demolished when I saw the super computers Jaguar and Kraken.
420 cabinets
6,800 gallons of water to cool the 12.7 megawatts of energy
6,000 miles of cables
479 terabytes of memory
480 volts of power
800 terabytes per second throughput
It was such a privilege to get to see something that only the world's most important people have seen. I don't know how to explain it other than that it was completely and utterly amazing. I was at a loss for words.
After looking at the computers, we went to a room with a 27-panel HD screen. It showed 3D models and simulations. The 3D model was unlike anything I have ever seen. I couldn't believe that something so tiny had been blown up to something the size of a movie theater screen. You could see so much detail. I was truly awestruck. Then we tried to simulate our own models. However, Ross couldn't get the software to work. Instead, we looked at images that had already been layered. It was fascinating how something so tiny had been magnified and displayed on something so huge.
Q&A with Argonaut Hannah:
What was it like meeting your host researcher, Dr. Keller?
I am so thrilled to be here in Tennessee for my second mission! We got to meet Dr. Keller and a few members of his 300-person team. I think it is incredible that so many people from all over the world can work together to discover something that will help all of mankind.
What did you learn from your work with Dr. Keller?
Dr. Keller is searching for new sources of biofuels. He and his team are focusing on switchgrass and poplar trees. These plants are easily and quickly grown in a variety of environments. The problem, however, is that the sugars in these plants are not easily accessible. Dr. Keller and his crew are working on finding an enzyme to break down the cellulose. When this is accomplished, biofuels will hopefully be used as a main source of energy. Biofuel could replace up to 80% of the 30 billion barrels of petroleum that the U.S. uses now.