MSU researchers have found a bacterium able to handle large amounts of toxicity, which can help create 24-karat gold, according to a university press release.
Kazem Kashefi, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, and Adam Brown, associate professor of electronic art and intermedia, worked together to incorporate the research into an art installation called “The Great Works of the Metal Lover,” the release said.
The installation, which includes a 24-karat gold-plated portable laboratory, a glass bioreactor and the bacteria, turns liquid gold into 24-karat gold in front of viewers.
The piece also includes photo images, with gold produced by the bioreactor physically added to the areas of the photo where the gold is shown.
In the release, Brown said reproducing the experiment on a larger scale would be difficult due to costs.
“The Great Works of the Metal Lover” received an honorable mention while on display at Prix Ars Electronica, an international cyber art competition in Austria. This award is an important achievement in the field of hybrid and digital media, according to the release.
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