Light used as a medical tool? Absolutely! On Saturday, visitors at Explorit Science Center will learn how biophotonics, the study of the interaction of light with biological material, is creating revolutionary advances in biomedical science.

From 1-4 p.m., the National Science Foundation Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology will host this week's Family Exploration. Children and adults alike will learn more about their own bodies through oxymeters, body fat monitors and thermometers; just a few of the biophotonic tools that the center will have available for exploration.

In the typical Explorit hands-on style, visitors will not only learn how light is used to gather information, but also how it is used to protect or improve one‚s health. Experts will be on hand to help visitors translate the data obtained by these instruments into useful information.

Doctors have been using biophotonic tools for years; think of X-rays and laser skin and lasik eye surgeries, and even tattoo removal. But this science is advancing rapidly in many other areas. Biophotonic biomedical applications are limitless and are improving lives every day, according to Dr. Marco Molinaro, chief education officer for the biophotonics center.

Take cancer as an example. "One can now detect whether a given tissue is cancerous or not by the way light interacts with it," Molinaro says. "Light can be used to augment surgeons‚ vision during operation. This allows them to remove all of the cancerous tissue in the area and leave the healthy tissue."

Some other examples: This science is currently used to determine whether transplant organs are viable and healthy. Hand-held light sensors can tell, within minutes, if anthrax or other bioterrorism agents are near. The brain activity in infants can be analyzed.

Half-joking, Molinaro says: "The ultimate goal is to have the famous 'Star Trek tri-corder' a hand-held tool that can diagnose disease and treat it without invading your body all done using photons! That's quite a distant goal but not completely impossible," he says.

Explorit visitors will be reminded that eyes and plants utilize biophotonic tools naturally. The eye can send information about physical surroundings to the brain. Plants are able to capture and utilize light in chloroplasts. Hands-on experiments with the human eye and plants will also be part of Saturday‚s special program.

This Family Exploration Program, sponsored by Davis Waste Removal, is free with paid admission to Explorit. General admission is $4; children 3 and under are free.

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Explorit Science Center is open at its new site, 2801 Second S., Davis. Through March 11, you can visit the exhibition "From Codes to Crystals: Patterns All Around." Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information: www.explorit.org or (530) 756-0191.