Planktochrome Experiment 1.0

The first Planktochrome experiment used DIY electronics and programming to design an apparatus that could make the relationships between phytoplankton and the inhabitants of a home visible through the exchange of gases in the air and the care need to maintain the growth of the plankton.

The apparatus developed monitored the colour of a living culture of phytoplankton as it grew on a window sill, and measured the concentration of CO2 in the air as it was absorbed by the plankton. The changing colour and levels of the gas became a record of the interrelationship between the plankton and the activity in the home- a microcosm of the global absorbtion of carbon dioxide by marine ecosystems.

To share the project an instagram account was created for the plankton @planktochrome and each day the apparatus would automatically post to the account a single green square captioned with the CO2 concentration at that point in time. This became a method for the plankton to connect with people and make their action visible.

Each day a graph would be compiled showing the colour of the plankton and the level of CO2 in the apparatus.

Experimantal ink made from plankton