bioluminescence
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Bioluminescence Is at Least Half a Billion Years Old
Bioluminescence, the eerie, beautiful phenomena that allows living things to glow, is way more ancient than previously thought, according to a team of researchers that recently studied the ability in octocorals. Octocorals are not closely related to corals, despite their name. They are a group of marine invertebrates that reside—and glow—in Earth’s oceans. But octocorals…
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Freaky Deep-Sea Anglerfish Casts Light in Two Distinct Ways
In May 2021, a Pacific footballfish washed ashore at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach, California. Still in good condition, the rarely seen fish featured spikes along its body, sharp teeth, and a bioluminescent lure. But as scientists would go on to discover, it also had biofluorescent tissue, a characteristic never seen before in…
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Glow in the Dark Sharks Are a Thing, So Good Luck Sleeping
Who knew sharks could glow in the dark? Researchers have discovered three bioluminescent shark species off the coast of New Zealand.
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Scientists Create Glowing Plants Using Bioluminescent Mushroom DNA
Ornamental house plants with sustainably glowing leaves and flowers are now one step closer to reality, thanks to a breakthrough in which scientists leveraged the bioluminescent powers of mushrooms.