Bioluminescent Marsupial Glows as Contender in Tasmania’s Science Photography Contest
“The Enchanted Rat and His Sleek Device” by Ben Alldridge, highlights the scientific significance of alternative specialized camera gear or photographic techniques
“In the uncharted wilderness of Tasmania’s southwest, a variety of creatures prowl after dark. Among them are Eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus), which exhibit a remarkable secret. While their fur typically appears fawn or black, under specific light wavelengths, they display a phenomenon known as biofluorescence – akin to nature’s interpretation of a white shirt radiating at a disco. The entirety of the light and color in this picture emanates from the subject’s natural illumination in reaction to invisible UV light, bursting forth from its inherent sandy pigmentation. This marks the inaugural documentation of the species’ glow in its natural habitat and contributes to ongoing studies regarding the effects of light pollution.”
Tasmania’s Beaker Street Festival, a weeklong homage to science and art, has revealed the 12 finalists of its photography contest. The Beaker Street Science Photography Prize exemplifies the creativity within the scientific photography sector. From uncommon bioluminescent species to the vivid Aurora Australis, each of the shortlisted images merits recognition.
An extraordinary highlight from this selection is Ben Alldridge’s nighttime photograph of an Eastern quoll. This vulnerable medium-sized marsupial, now exclusively found in Tasmania’s wild, emits a glow in the dark due to a UV light accentuating its bioluminescence. Notably, Alldridge’s photograph is thought to be the first instance of observing an Eastern quoll displaying this characteristic in its natural environment.
“The finalists this year truly embody the essence of Beaker Street. They make science visible, captivating, and deeply meaningful,” stated Festival Founder and Executive Director Dr. Margo Adler. “These images allow us to view the world through a new lens, and in some cases, quite literally unveil things we’ve never witnessed before.”
All finalists will be showcased at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) from August 6 to August 31 as part of the Beaker Street Festival. Throughout this period, the public will have the opportunity to vote for their preferred image, the winner of which will be declared at the festival’s conclusion. The photography award is one among 70 events scheduled during the Beaker Street Festival to engage the public with the realm of science.
Presenting the remarkable finalists of the Beaker Street Science Photography Prize.
“Ocean Spider” by Nicolas Horniblow, Employs macrophotography
“Displayed here is a specimen of Tasmania’s Pallenella ambigua, a diminutive and elusive marine arthropod species classified under the class Pycnogonida, commonly known as sea spiders. These beings lack a conventional respiratory system and instead depend on pores along the exoskeleton of their legs to absorb oxygen from the surrounding seawater through diffusion. Despite their otherworldly traits, they are frequently overlooked by divers and biologists who favor larger, more charismatic species. Illuminating the lesser-known denizens of the sea prompts a more profound consideration of our influence on the marine ecosystem at every level and extent.”
“Connecting Hands” by Jordan Cripps, Illustrates a physical occurrence in motion
“Quietly positioned on the tiled siltstone of the Tessellated Pavement, this couple observed the grand geomagnetic spectacle referred to as the Aurora Australis erupting in the sky above them. The Pavement, composed of 250-280 million-year-old rocks, gradually transformed into patterns that appear astonishingly artificial, the result of the Earth’s shifting and fracturing combined with persistent sea salt erosion.
The reflections create a stunning contrast between the ancient, unhurried movements of the Earth and the new, dynamic actions in the sky. Almost as if the Aurora and the Pavements collaborated to showcase the raw force and beauty of the natural world.”