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Bioluminescence

All articles tagged with #bioluminescence

Ancient jelly-like giants rewrite the story of animal brains and light
science24 days ago

Ancient jelly-like giants rewrite the story of animal brains and light

Quanta Magazine reports that comb jellies (ctenophores) are reshaping our understanding of early animal evolution: new studies suggest the earliest nervous systems may have existed in these creatures, with a nerve net lacking synapses, and that nervous systems may have evolved twice. Their genomes reveal unusual regulatory loops, and their bioluminescence and cell diversity offer clues to how complex life arose and adapted, challenging long-held assumptions about the animal family tree.

via Quanta Magazine|
#bioluminescence#comb-jellies#ctenophores
Second victim named in Tomales Bay bioluminescence canoeing incident
local-news1 month ago

Second victim named in Tomales Bay bioluminescence canoeing incident

Alexander Ferguson, 37, of Pacifica, is identified as the second man who died in the Tomales Bay canoeing deaths alongside Casey Flynn Melia, 36, of San Francisco. The pair left a campsite Saturday night to view bioluminescent water; Melia's body was found near Hog Island and Ferguson near Toms Point, and both were pronounced dead. The cause of death remains under investigation.

via Marin Independent Journal|
#bioluminescence#canoeing#deaths
Most of the Ocean Lives in Permanent Darkness, Shielded by a Thin Sunlit Roof
science1 month ago

Most of the Ocean Lives in Permanent Darkness, Shielded by a Thin Sunlit Roof

The ocean is structured by light: the sunlit euphotic zone extends to about 200 m where photosynthesis occurs, a twilight dysphotic layer from 200 to 1,000 m with insufficient light for plants, and an aphotic zone below 1,000 m where sunlight vanishes. Light depth varies with water clarity and particles, so two distinct thresholds define “dark”—one for photosynthesis and one for direct sunlight. Most deep-sea life relies on energy from above or chemosynthesis near vents, and bioluminescence is common in the deep ocean; diel vertical migration moves carbon and energy through the water column. NOAA notes that more than 90% of the ocean lies below the sunlit layer, making permanent darkness the norm in most of Earth’s blue world.

via Space Daily|
#aphotic-zone#bioluminescence#diel-vertical-migration
Kitefin Shark’s Glow May Be a Sideways Searchlight, Not Just Camouflage
science2 months ago

Kitefin Shark’s Glow May Be a Sideways Searchlight, Not Just Camouflage

Eight live kitefin sharks show their bluish-green underside glow matches traditional counterillumination in color/brightness, but the emission also spreads sideways, especially from the nose and fins, potentially acting as a searchlight to illuminate prey on the seafloor. This dual-use - concealment plus prey attraction or signaling - challenges the idea that their bioluminescence is for camouflage alone, and suggests the light helps hunting in the deep sea. The study (iScience, 2026) analyzed bycatch sharks off New Zealand, with wild-behavior observations still needed to confirm how this works in nature.

via ScienceAlert|
#bioluminescence#counterillumination#deep-sea
Satellites End 400-Year Milky-Sea Mystery in the Indian Ocean
science3 months ago

Satellites End 400-Year Milky-Sea Mystery in the Indian Ocean

Centuries of sailors reporting vast, pale-glowing patches at sea have been confirmed as real thanks to satellite observations. Beginning with a 2005 Java Sea sighting and a 2019 Indonesian event, researchers link the glow to dense colonies of Vibrio harveyi bacteria coordinating via quorum sensing, living in mucus that calms the surface. The pattern of occurrences appears related to climate cycles like the Indian Ocean Dipole and ENSO, raising the possibility of predicting milky seas and guiding future sampling to study the phenomenon more closely.

via Space Daily|
#bioluminescence#indian-ocean#milky-seas
Mars helicopter tests to Milky Way portraits: May’s best science images
science4 months ago

Mars helicopter tests to Milky Way portraits: May’s best science images

Nature’s May image roundup highlights the month’s sharpest science photos, from NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter tests on Mars and a dramatic Milky Way nightscape to a refreshed Hubble view of the Trifid Nebula, plus bioluminescent art and other striking natural phenomena illustrating how scientists capture the universe and Earth’s wonders.

via Nature|
#bioluminescence#hubble-space-telescope#mars-helicopter
Glowing, harpoon-wielding dinoflagellate redefines marine predators
science4 months ago

Glowing, harpoon-wielding dinoflagellate redefines marine predators

Researchers sampling water from Scripps Pier identified Polykrikos kofoidii, a predatory bioluminescent dinoflagellate that uses harpoon-like structures to feed on prey including toxic algae. Its luciferin is distributed across the entire cell, producing slower, dimmer blue-green flashes compared with other dinoflagellates. The discovery could enhance understanding of marine ecosystems and inform potential approaches to managing harmful algal blooms.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|
#bioluminescence#dinoflagellates#marine-biology
On-Demand Bioluminescent Algae Could Light Robots and Rooms
science5 months ago

On-Demand Bioluminescent Algae Could Light Robots and Rooms

Researchers at CU Boulder developed a method to trigger sustained bioluminescence in the marine alga Pyrocystis lunula using chemical cues (acidic or basic solutions), enabling light output for up to 25 minutes and embedding the cells in sodium alginate hydrogels via 3D printing to form stable shapes that glow for weeks. Acid-triggered light stays localized in scintillons and, when combined with compressive loading, yields more light; acid-conditioned constructs retained about 75% of luminescent activity after four weeks, while base-treated cells declined due to membrane degradation. The team demonstrated glow across printed forms and envisions applications in biosensing and autonomous lighting for soft robots in environments like deep sea or space, with the algae consuming CO2 during operation. The work was published in Science Advances on May 6, 2026.

via Indian Defence Review|
#3d-bioprinting#alginate-hydrogel#bioluminescence
Algae glow enables 3D-printed light shapes
science5 months ago

Algae glow enables 3D-printed light shapes

US researchers encapsulated the bioluminescent alga Pyrocystis lunula in a hydrogel and used 3D printing to create glowing shapes. Exposing the algae to a mildly acidic solution triggers light production for up to about 25 minutes, producing a cyan glow suitable for applications like glow devices or biosensors, though real-world use and the algae’s survivability under acidity remain challenges.

via The Guardian|
#3d-printing#algae#bioluminescence
Green Blink in Japanese Deep-Sea Cave Reveals New Bioluminescent Coral
science5 months ago

Green Blink in Japanese Deep-Sea Cave Reveals New Bioluminescent Coral

A JAMSTEC-led ROV dive in a 385-meter-deep limestone cave near Minamidaito Island, Japan, documented a new bioluminescent coral, Corallizoanthus aureus, that flashes green only when stimulated by touch or chemical cues, with glow localized to polyp tentacles (~515 nm). Analyses suggest an intrinsic luciferin-based mechanism (likely coelenterazine) and no bacterial symbionts; the light may function as a defensive burglar alarm by attracting predators of would-be attackers. This discovery marks the first documented bioluminescence in a deep-sea cave and expands knowledge of cave biodiversity and coral taxonomy, highlighting the value of specialized exploration tech in cryptic habitats.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#bioluminescence#coral-taxonomy#corallizoanthus-aureus
Gulf’s Pocket-Sized Bioluminescent Shark Revealed as New Species
science5 months ago

Gulf’s Pocket-Sized Bioluminescent Shark Revealed as New Species

Scientists from NOAA announced the discovery of Mollisquama mississippiensis, the American pocket shark, a 5.5‑inch bioluminescent shark found in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s only the second pocket shark species known and differs from its Pacific relative in features like its pocket anatomy and body photophores. The glowing glands likely help with camouflage or predation, a trait that may have evolved independently in sharks. The shark was found accidentally by the NOAA Pisces during a sperm whale prey survey and is now part of Tulane’s research collection, with advanced imaging helping distinguish it from its Pacific cousin.

via Yahoo|
#american-pocket-shark#bioluminescence#gulf-of-mexico
Oregon's Glowing Giant: the World’s Largest Organism
science8 months ago

Oregon's Glowing Giant: the World’s Largest Organism

The world’s biggest and oldest organism is a single clone of honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest, spanning about 3.7 square miles. Its vast underground mycelial network (with rhizomorphs) grows by feeding on trees, while the surface shows bioluminescent hints known as foxfire. Estimates place its age between 2,400 and 8,650 years, underscoring how a fungus can dwarf all other life in scale.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|
#armillaria-ostoyae#bioluminescence#honey-fungus