Live canvas: a biological system that perceives light stimuli (as a projected image) mounting a bioluminescent response based on its circadian clock pathway.

The circadian clock of the fungus Neurospora crassa as a live canvas.

Image projection on fungi cultures causes discrete changes in the circadian clock.

The fungus reproduces the image creating an “eidetic” or “photographic” memory.

The light-sensing system underlying the Live Canvas response is integrated in the Neurospora circadian regulatory system. Since different levels of projected light alter clock phase in an intensity-dependent manner, bioluminescence is expressed differentially across the canvas.

Fungal images alternate in a daily fashion positive and negative versions of the image, as well as all intermediate degrees of the contrast.