Core77

The 'Lunchbox Laboratory' prototype is the outcome of an interesting collaboration between the artist group Futurefarmers and the Biological Sciences Team, National Renewable Energy Lab.

Currently scientists are using algae to produce hydrogen and have discovered that it is a viable renewable energy form, in that, algae is everywhere and it could also be used to produce biodiesel. One of the main hurdles for the research is to find the most productive strains of algae. Since there are potentially millions of strains, this task is monumental.

Lunchbox Laboratory is a prototype for a potentially distributed research tool that would be sent to schools such that young scientists could do primary screening of a collection of algae strains. This would serve as a preliminary screening such that non productive strains would be ruled out and only productive strains would reach labs. This project enables students to participate in big science as well as network with other students nationwide to compare notes.