Some single-celled organisms, like dinoflagellates, light up when disturbed. This bioluminescence is considered a defense mechanism, triggered by threats to the organism. Now researchers are quantifying just what it takes Keep reading
Tag: bioluminescence
Bioluminescence at the Beach
A bioluminescent phytoplankton bloom is causing a stir among California beachgoers. During the daytime, aggregations of Lingulodinium polyedra appear reddish-brown in color (think the classic ‘red tide’). But at night Keep reading
Bioluminescent Plankton
In nutrient-rich marine waters, dinoflagellates, a type of plankton, can flourish. At night, these tiny organisms are responsible for incredible blue light displays in the water. The dinoflagellates produce two Keep reading
Bioluminescent Shrimp
Trevor Williams and Jonathan Galione of Tdub Photo captured these beautiful images of bioluminescent shrimp along the Japanese coast. The duo collected the tiny shrimp and poured them over and Keep reading
Bioluminescent Plankton
The blue-outlined dolphins you see above get their glow from microorganisms called dinoflagellates. They are a type of bioluminescent plankton, shown in the lower image, that can be found in Keep reading
Bioluminescence
In the dark of the ocean, some animals have evolved to use bioluminescence as a defense. In the animation above, an ostracod, one of the tiny crustaceans seen flitting near Keep reading