You probably already know what this is but let me share with you anyway. Bioluminescence is when live things (bio) are illuminated (luminescence), no duh right! You probably saw plenty of this in James Cameron’s blockbuster hit “Avatar”.
Actually I was listening to a track on the “Avatar” soundtrack called “The Bioluminescence of the Night” just about an 30 minutes ago when I decided to research the subject.
Quite simply bioluminescence works like this: some animals i.e. fireflies and some plants i.e. mushrooms release a chemical known as Luciferin or light-bringer (same pronunciation and meaning as Lucifer). Anyway this chemical mixes with the oxygen in the air and creates light. BUT THERE’S MORE!
Pyrodinium Bahamense a type of plankton found in tropical oceans around such places as Puerto Rico and The Bahamas releases light in an area 100 times its size whenever it feels pressure on it’s cell wall (it is a single celled organism after all). This makes for some sweet pictures. (remember to click on the pictures to enlarge them). I think these were taken in Vieques, Puerto Rico. And I am also sure that they are enhanced a bit, but who cares! they still are real and cool!
1 comments:
Cool I want to go to that beach. I have always wanted to see fireflys too.
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