Subject to availability of the Horseshoe crab, this involves isolating the heart, and performing pharmacology experiments on the effects on rate and force of contraction. Techniques involved are biochemical extraction techniques, careful quantitative analysis, and statistical evaluation methods. Subject to catching Limulus, this experiment involves isolating the compound eye and attached nerve trunk and then, after dark adaptation, presenting different wavelengths of light to determine the effects on compound action potential responses. Alternatively one can also do oxygen consumption measurements as a function of light or dark, etc. Protocol requires careful dissection technique.
Project requires careful data analysis and systematic presentation.
Variations on this would be to trim the wing tip or alter load and observe effects, or perhaps vary temperature, present metabolic inhibitors, etc. Experiment requires a good flynet collector, sticky wax, stroboscopic illuminator, video or computerized data recording device. Protocol uses strobe light illumination and video recording techniques. One then sets up a thermocline, and determines animals' preferences, or one can record core vs. ambient temperature, or monitor heart rate vs. various parameters. This experiment is not for the timid.