Enjoy Jellies at the Shedd Aquarium but want to know more about the mysterious way that some of the jellyfish produced light?  If you want to learn more about bioluminescence and the natural history, evolution and biochemistry of the diverse array of organisms that emit light, visit Chicago Council on Science and Technology’s YouTube Channel to hear from an expert!

Harvard University Professor J. Woody Woodland Hastings presented a sold-out lecture last month at an event co-sponsored by the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST) and the Harvard Club of Chicago, “Bioluminescence: Living Lights, Lights for Living.”

Prof. Hastings is the Paul C. Mangelsdorf Professor of Natural Sciences and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University, and is a leader in the field of photobiology, especially bioluminescence.  Hastings is one of the founders of the field of circadian biology (the study of circadian rhythms, or the sleep-wake cycle). His research on bioluminescence has principally focused on bacterial luminescence and dinoflagellates. He has published over 400 papers and co-edited three books. His latest book, Bioluminescence: Living Lights, Lights for Living was published last month.

To watch the full video of the program, visit C2ST’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/C2STvideos?feature=watch

C2ST is a nonprofit membership organization working to heighten the awareness of science and technology in the greater Chicagoland community.