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Bioluminescence

All articles tagged with #bioluminescence

Satellites End 400-Year Milky-Sea Mystery in the Indian Ocean
science19 days 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
science1 month 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
science1 month 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
science2 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
science2 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
science2 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
science2 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
science5 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