Sunday 20 July 2014

Awesome - The magical glow-in the dark beach:


Few honeymooners could hope for such a magical moment.
But one photographer celebrating his wedding was lucky enough to witness a stretch of beach lit up by bioluminescent phytoplankton.
Will Ho stumbled upon the awe-inspiring sight on a windy night in the Maldives.

Full article at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2544669/The-amazing-glow-dark-beach-Honeymooner-snaps-stunning-surf-lit-bioluminescent-phytoplankton.html





WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE?

Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism.
It occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi and microorganisms such as phytoplankton.
The word comes from the Greek 'bios' for living and the Latin 'lumen' for light.
Bioluminescence is a type of light energy produced by a chemical reaction.
Different types of animals use bioluminescence in different ways.
Deep sea squid use it for counter illumination camouflage so they match their environmental light, but Anglefish use it to lure prey with a light-up dangling appendage from their head that draws in smaller fish, which they can eat.
Fireflies use bioluminescence to attract mates by flashing their abdomens, while their larvae use it to repel predators.