Craig Bourgonje, March 12 3/3

What we did:
1. Asked Mr.C questions about cellular respiration.
2. Wrote cellular respiration test.
3. Sat quietly while Vadge drew pictures.
4. Mr.C showed us an article on spinach computers.
5. Looked at slides on cellular respiration.
6. Took a 3 minute break.

Thoughts and opinions:

When we were talking about computers than ran on spinach, I though it would be $#@! WICKED if someone could figure out how to make vehicles that run on vegetables. It made me wonder how green this earth would be if combustion engines were replaced with vegetables engines.

Above and beyond:

The set of spinach proteins, known as Photosystem I, is a well-known component of the photosynthetic process. Until now, however, nobody had been able to figure out how to make them work in combination with electronic circuitry because the proteins cannot survive without water and salt—ingredients that do not mix well with electronics. Zhang solved the incompatibility by creating “detergent peptides,” molecules that form protective shells around the photosynthetic proteins. The peptides seem to hold water inside their shells and prevent it from leaking out. “They keep Photosystem I wet and stable but keep the water away from attached electronics,” Zhang says.