Yesterday we caught up with Ben, who was preparing to start another temperature assay.  But what really caught our eye were the tubes and trays! Tips cut off Gracilaria plants are first placed in these labeled, colored tubes. It is these colored tubes that are placed in the water bath that is set to a certain temperature- the temperature Ben is experimenting with (food for thought: is temperature the dependent or independent variable?).  After the water bath, tips are placed in these clear trays and monitored for bleaching over 8 days.