All at sea

By Burl Burlingame
Star-Bulletin

"Ocean Planet," a traveling exhibition organized by the Smithsonian Institution's Environmental Awareness Program and the National Museum of Natural History, sweeps into Bishop Museum this week. It will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from May 24 to Oct. 5 at the museum's Castle Memorial Building.

Opening Day on Saturday will include live performances by the Jubelieve Puppets, presentations by Hawaii's Ocean Explorers, plus ocean-related demonstrations, educational programs, hands-on keiki activities, prize drawings, giveaways and the ever-popular fish printing.

Admission is $7.95 for adults; $6.95 for ages 6 to 17; free for kids under 6 and Bishop Museum members. Information: 847-3511.

Although every kid in Hawaii knows our island homes are completely surrounded by ocean, how many know that the ocean is actually part of our home?

For example, did you know that:

Diatomite, made from the shells of tiny marine algae, helps kitty litter absorb moisture?

Lipstick stays stuck due to squalene, an oil found in the livers of sharks that penetrates the outer layer of skin?

Some toothpastes get their texture from carrageenan, a brew made from three different kinds of marine algae?

That ice cream stays smooth and that beer stays frothy due to algin, a substance extracted from brown seaweeds?

That guano, made from bird droppings from birds that eat fish, is a terrific plant fertilizer?

That 4th of July fireworks get their glow from magnesium, which originates in seawater as a mineral called magnesium?

Wine can be clarified by filtering it with a chemical called isinglass, which is found in the swim bladder of codfish?

High-octane gasolines lose their knock by adding bromine, a mineral extracted from seawater by adding chlorine?

Parakeets keep their bills sharp by gnawing on cuttlebone, which is the internal skeleton of cuttlefish or squids?

That mahimahi is really tuna? Or that you can tune a piano but you can't tunafish? (OK, you probably knew THAT one already.)