Polymers From Marine Bacteria?

HotScience│Petrosains

We see and use many types of polymers every day, it’s just that it’s known to us by different names.  The most common polymer is plastics and it comes in many forms – plastic bags, ATM and credit cards, our five ringgit notes and toys.  There’s also fabrics like rayon, nylon, and polyester.  These are synthetic polymers, i.e. they are man-made.

The other type of polymers, known as natural polymers, can be found in nature and within us.  They are also known as natural biopolymers, i.e. polymers produced by living organisms. DNA is a natural polymer found in all living things and it will be very difficult for us to survive without it.  There are also other natural polymers, e.g. cotton, silk, rubber, leather and cotton; that can be modified chemically to produce many of the consumer products we love and can’t do without!

So, what’s a polymer? 

It’s a compound formed from long chains of the same molecule group. These chains repeat over and over, just like paper clips of the same type and colour joined together.  Polymers can be made to be flexible, pliable and stretchy, yet strong and firm by linking the molecule chains in several places.  Depends on what we want.

Now that we know the difference between synthetic and natural polymers, how about marine biopolymers?  As the name goes, they are polymers produced by living organisms that live in the seas.  You may ask, how useful is it to us?  Aren’t all polymers similar?

Research has shown that marine biopolymers may serve as a potential base material for biodegradable plastics as well as applications in food additives, pharmaceutical and medical polymers, wound dressings, bio-adhesives, dental biomaterials, tissue regeneration and 3D tissue culture scaffolds. 

Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Prof. Madya Dr. Charles S. Vairappan and his team has developed an innovative product called Profeed.  This is a probiotic fish feed which has been cleverly developed without costly sterilization by just using a concoction of probiotic microbes to do the job through fermentation. Another possible biopolymer that may be developed is by stressing certain bacteria to produce chemicals to make polymers.

Marine-derived biomaterials science is still relatively new and the marine environment is a relatively untapped resource for the discovery of new enzymes, biopolymers and biomaterials for industrial applications.

Special facilitation by Assoc. Prof.  Dr. Charles S. Vairappan -
Director, Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation

This article is written in conjunction with Science Engagement Session at HotScience, Petrosains from 7-8 September 2013 with scientists from, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) –

1. Assoc. Prof.  Dr. Charles S. Vairappan

• Director, Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation

• Marine Natural Products Chemistry researcher, Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation

2. Mr. Thulasiramanan Ramachandram, Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation

3. Mr. Kishneth Palaniveloo, Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation

The Bright Darkness

I was standing at the entrance of the Dialogue in the Dark exhibition (currently at Petrosains, Level 4 Suria KLCC) and was nervously handing in my ticket to the employee as I attempt to visualize the experience ahead. It was something I never thought I would experience, but there I was with another family as we wait for our scheduled session to begin. We had a small chat and then, Vicky, one of the employees at the exhibition, gave us a brief introduction and history about Dialogue in the Dark. The exhibition has a wonderful history and track record, being in numerous countries the world over and changing thousands of lives. As time drew closer to 3 p.m., we gathered in front of a dark entrance covered by a curtain. We could venture into the new world only after we were taught how to use the cane. I gained slight confidence and well, thought it was easy and so took it lightly. Thus, I gathered all of my courage to enter another person’s world where darkness is the norm. 

Note: This is not part of the exhibition

The adventure only just began when my hands started to tremble. It was pitch black and losing my sight temporarily for the first time was horrifying.  It was just a few moments after we began our journey but we kept on asking each other, “Where are you?” It was clear that we have yet to adapt to the new environment which made us lose our coordination. We tried to calm down, but it was obvious that most of us panicked for a bit. Although we had Vicky to guide us in the beginning, I began to cast some doubts if she knew our whereabouts. We only had walls and the cane to help and steer us along the way. Soon after that, Uncle Jo, who was our guide throughout the exhibition, greeted us in the dark and gave us a warm welcome. Somehow, I felt at ease when Uncle Jo welcomed us and became our guide as we embarked on an adventure which is one of its kind.  

It would be a lie if I were to say I mastered the usage of the cane right away. We kept on bumping into each other and did not know where exactly the objects were as we experienced life blind like Uncle Jo did. Unlike us, Uncle Jo knows exactly where we were. He guided us with much patience and care. Who would have known that one with perfect physical abilities would be guided by a person who has a disability? 

We began to familiarize ourselves in the new world and see the aesthetics of life in a whole new perspective. It felt like my senses of touch were enticed! I liked the texture of the objects with what I could recall and this whole experience made me excited as I felt like I was in a maze. We could listen to the sound of nature that we are familiar with but there was something that I could not depict in words to express the wonder of seeing the beauty of the surrounding by ears and not by the eyes. Jason, who is an energetic visitor and also the youngest among all of us, was excited as he adjusted to the environment and he even helped to guide me alongside Uncle Jo. 

However, what impressed me more was Uncle Jo’s open-mindedness as he encouraged Jason to ask more questions and instill great interest in Jason to explore the world of darkness. I must say that all of us were inspired and learned to communicate under Uncle Jo’s guidance. It really felt like we were just talking to a friendly neighbour. We were given the chance to ask him questions about his life up-close and personal. I felt for his challenges living life blind as our world, especially in Malaysia, is biased to the sighted. We don’t often recognize the needs of the blind, deaf, or wheelchair bound so everyday life like shopping or going to watch a movie is so much more difficult for the less-abled. I did a self-reflection in the dark room and noticed how ignorant I was to complain about the imperfections I have. I seem to be way more incompetent than Uncle Jo as his spirit to live a normal life is greater than mine. 

Before we knew it, our meaningful and adventurous journey in the Dialogue in the Dark exhibition came to an end. We finally got to see the face of Uncle Jo under the light. He had a benign smile and one could see his warmness shining through. He managed to touch our hearts and brought us to a whole new look at life as we learn how to appreciate ourselves and understand the blind better. It was not merely an experience where we learn about them, but we were also given the chance to look at ourselves and appreciate life as it is. How impressive it was that an hour long experience is able to give me and the visitors a lesson that we would not otherwise get. Through Dialogue in the Dark, it feels like the blind are sharing their world with us and it was a privilege indeed.

Shared by Nadrah

Guest Student Blogger

Bake Your Ice Cream & Keep It Frozen

Are you a fan of “pavlova” or any other meringue based dessert? If you are, you can make it on your own. It is very easy and cheap!

To make your own meringue, all you need are an egg, a tablespoon of icing sugar, a few drops of vanilla essence and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

First of all, separate the egg yolk from its white. You only need the egg whites to prepare meringue. Then, place the egg whites into the mixing bowl and whisk it. Before start beating the egg white, preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius and place a baking paper on the tray. Start to beat the egg whites with a constant medium speed until the soft-peak stage. Now, add in the icing sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice. Beat these ingredients at high speed until the mixture becomes stiff. 

To make a simple delicious dessert using the meringue you made, you just need a slice of your favourite cake and a scoop of your favourite ice cream. Scoop the ice cream and place it on the cake. Next, spread the meringue to fully cover the ice cream and make sure that it covers the whole ice cream smoothly. This is the key step in making a mouth-watering dessert! Place your cake slice on to the tray and bake it in the oven for about three to five minutes and voila!

You will realize that the ice-cream remains frozen even though it had been baked in the oven. Why? The secret is the meringue itself! As you whisk, it traps a lot of air in the mixture, thus making the meringue a good heat insulator. Heat travels quickly in food which is solid in nature. In the case of the meringue, it has lots of trapped air bubble, therefore its molecules are far apart from one another. As a result, the heat from the oven travels slower through it and this keeps the ice cream in its frozen state.

So, let's try to make one today!

Shared by Nadrah

Guest Student Blogger

Decoding Science Into Arts

Science by itself is intricate. Jargons and complicated theories are always the barrier for the public to understand astonishing discoveries which has won the Nobel Prize. One needs to acquire deep knowledge on Science to digest those findings. However, artist Volker Steger came up with a fresh idea to solve this problem: present science in the form of arts. He challenged the laureates by giving them a blank sheet of paper and a box of crayons to draw their discoveries and this gave birth to the Sketches of Science exhibition. Who else could have imagined such a spontaneous and brilliant approach?

PETRONAS, alongside the Secretariat of the Merdeka Award and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) proudly presents The Sketches of Science: Photo Sessions with Nobel Laureates exhibition at the Petronas Gallery (located at the 3rd floor of Suria KLCC). It features 42 portraits of the Nobel Laureates with their sketches which contributed mainly in the main fields of science; Physics, Chemistry and Medicine. 

The moment visitors step into the exhibition, they could see 50 portraits of the laureates posing with their creative sketches. This exhibition allows visitors to explore the art behind the theories from the laureates’ very own perspective. Sketches exhibited brilliantly depict laureates’ minds in presenting their discovery. What is most appealing about the exhibition is it fosters interest to the public that Science is more than just theories; it is also applicable. It is for everyone to view! Not only that, it is interesting that the scientists attempt to simplify their scientific ideas. This concept where science is infused with arts will attract both science enthusiast and the general public. 

Telephone interviews with the laureates themselves are provided; it engages visitors with the laureates. One could feel stronger connection with the sketching as the interview further explains the symbols of each of the portraits that they view. A documentary video and digital presentations in the exhibition makes it even more interactive. In addition, science communicators from Petrosains are assigned each day to assist visitors. They are there to answer inquiries and offer guidance. This creates a new environment where the culture of excellence is injected into the society. 

Sketches of Science is truly unique. Volker Steger also gave an overview of how each laureate reacted to the project and this indirectly showcases the colourful side of their personality. We would like to invite the public to visit the exhibition and gain as much knowledge and inspiration from it. The exhibition is being held until 31st of January 2014, from 10.00 am up to 8.00pm daily except for Mondays. Here's the best thing, admission is free! 

For more information and details on the exhibition click below: 
http://www.galeripetronas.com.my/Pages/Exhibition.aspx?MenuId=2&SubMenuId=6

Shared by Nadrah

Guest Student Blogger

Keajaiban Dunia Matematik di Petrosains!

Tema program berasaskan matematik telah dipilih bagi bulan April hingga Jun 2013 dan dikenali sebagai 'Magical Math'. Tema ini diraikan di Petrosains KLCC, Petrosains Dinotrek dan juga di ketiga-tiga  Playsmart kami iaitu Playsmart Johor Bahru, Playsmart Kuantan dan Playsmart Kota Kinabalu.

Pelbagai aktiviti yang telah dijalankan. Di antaranya adalah seperti Binary Games, Match Trick, aktiviti yang berasaskan teori Teorem Pithagoras, tangram dan lain-lain lagi. Selain itu, slot untuk pertujukan sains turut dimuatkan dengan pertunjukan bertemakan matematik seperi 'Mathematica'.

Match Trick

Selain itu, Petrosains juga menganjurkan usaha sama bersama filem 'Monsters University' di mana para pengunjung berpeluang menyertai peraduan mengira bilangan monsters yang dipamerkan di dalam sebuah bekas kaca yang diletakkan di lobi Petrosains.

Selari dengan tema matematik ini, Petrosains juga menganjurkan satu pertandingan yang disertai oleh pelajar-pelajar sekolah rendah tahun 4 dan 5 iaitu 'Congak'. Kemeriahan mempelajari Matematik ini turut bertambah dengan Karnival Matematik  yang diadakan di Playsmart. Secara amnya, program ini mengasah kecekapan minda menerusi penggunaan konsep matematik seperti mengira, operasi dalam matematik dan nombor dalam pelbagai soalan berbentuk kuiz. Karnival matematik  mendapat sambutan yang amat menggalakkan kerana peratusan besar daripada pengunjung yang hadir adalah terdiri dari golongan keluarga.

Secara keseluruhannya, keajaiban matematik di Petrosains tentunya mampu  menjadikan mempelajari matematik ini suatu yang mudah dan menyeronokkan!





Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains

Science Matters!

Do you know that metal slinky can produce sounds like a ‘laser gun’?

Did you know that if you sit on a fully inflated balloon it will likely pop but what if you’re standing on a raft of balloons? 

A regular air-filled balloon will pop when exposed to a flame but in this photo, a science communicator is able to hold a flame under a balloon without it bursting. Is this magic? Of course it isn’t! By simply adding water into the balloon, enough heat can be absorbed and dissipated to ensure that the balloon doesn’t burst. How long do you think the balloon can remain resistant to the flame?

More discoveries were happening at Petrosains from July - September 2013 with our third thematic program called Science Matters! Discoveries That Change The World. It was definitely an interesting affair. The pictures above show the interactive mini science shows that we had in our centre. Seeing seeing someone conduct a simple science experiment live helps us learn and understand science easier.  

The highlight for our 'Weekend Special' event was the sape and guitar performance by Nico, our science communicator. He demonstrated the differences and similarities between the two musical instruments. Besides that, visitors also had a chance to make their own paper helicopters.

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains

Why You Should Go To 'Dialogue In The Dark'?

Yes, I DID IT!

Imagine a life with no light, nothing but darkness! You can hear sounds but you will never be able to see or know how you look like, or even what your handphone looks like. That is the reality for millions of people around the world who are visually impaired, living with blindness. It is a fact that most of us do not have to live with, but it is something we should experience in an exhibition called ‘Dialogue in the Dark’.

A little bit about the history, ‘Dialogue in the Dark (DiD)’ was founded in Germany by Andreas Heinecke and has been in more than 130 cities in 20 over countries and has reached  out to over 7 million visitors globally since its opening in 1988. Finally, DiD has landed in Malaysia with a special ‘Experiential Journey’ organized by Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia and hosted by Petrosains, The Discovery Centre in Suria  KLCC, Kuala Lumpur.

The objective is for us to understand sightlessness and change our perspective in life toward the blind. It also aims to raise awareness and create empathy  for these special people, thereby overcoming barriers between “us” and “them”.

The exhibition consists of a series of rooms in complete darkness. It is a journey into a ‘world without sight’ whereby a group of visitors will be led by blind or partially blind guides who are trained through dark rooms which replicate daily environments.  The guides  are trained and competent in handling situations  during the tour so that visitors are  assured they are  safe and well taken care of. The guides provide an imaginative, educational and entertaining experience, progressing from anxiety and nervousness to the joy of perceiving the world through other senses.

While increasing awareness, the organizers of this exhibition has the noble intention of creating employment opportunities for the visually-impaired people and part of the proceeds collected from the exhibition will be channeled towards developing a permanent and sustainable DID Centre in Malaysia. 

Open up your mind, relax and you will definitely enjoy the tour! It will be an  enlightening l experience for sure. Don’t panic, you will be briefed on how to use a walking stick before embarking on the 60  minutes journey through darkness. Even though the exhibition is totally dark, it is safe because emergency evacuation procedures and CCTV cameras are in place to ensure safety. Share your wonderful experience with your families, friends and relatives right after you come out from the exhibition and write it on a postcard!

So, come and experience the  journey with Dialogue in the Dark and allow your other senses to be your guide as you navigate through total darkness at Petrosains, KLCC Suria today! ‘Dialogue in the Dark’ starts this Sunday, 8th December 2013 and will be around until 31 May 2014. Book your  tickets now as slots are limited and only eight visitors are allowed for each tour slot. ! Check out the details below or visit our website at www.petrosains.com.my  

   

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains