This week in kitsch lighting is the Amazing Jellyfish Lamp.Jellyfish are the most abundant species on the planet.They contain GFP,a bioluminescent protein that allows them to glow in the dark.It is mainly used as a defense mechanism by jellyfish to ward off predators.That discovery has led the protein to be used in neurobiology to track brain cell proteins.It is even used to find toxic substances in drinking water.
Now the fun application.The Amazing Jellyfish is a company that is using this oddity to make nightlights.They use real jellyfish that have died naturally,frozen them rock hard in liquid nitrogen,and encased them inside a non breakable liquid epoxy solution.Simply expose the lamp to light during the day and at night it will release these photons back for your viewing enjoyment.The company says they will glow all night long,so it is the most ecological way to have a completely green lighting option.....literally.
