How do we turn our light bulb into an underwater flashlight?

Once the bulb was working nicely above water it was sealed very carefully and tested for air tightness underwater. It was very important to ensure that the sealant used was effective — we used sticky cherry and other plant resins to seal the bulb. Once we were sure that there were no leaks, the leads were connected to the terminals of the battery.

Kathy and Kate experimenting with the flashlight

Did it work? 

Major funding for Rough Science was provided by the National Science Foundation. Corporate funding was provided by Subaru.

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