There are living lights in the ocean. They are beautiful, fascinating and critical to the very existence of most marine life. They are also little known and little appreciated, because so few people have the opportunity to see them with their own eyes. The images on this web site provide a rare glimpse of this remarkable phenomenon.
Visible light made by living creatures is known as bioluminescence. Fireflies are bioluminescent. So are a few other land dwellers, like some earthworms, centipedes and fungi. But on land, bioluminescence is rare. By contrast, in the oceans, bioluminescence is very, very common. In fact, it would be difficult to find any place in the ocean where bioluminescence doesn't exist.
In some places in the ocean bioluminescent creatures are so abundant that any disturbance such as a boat, a fish or, as you see here, even a hand passing through the water can produce a shimmering light show. Click on the menu above to see some of the most common sources of bioluminescence in the ocean.
HOW?
All light in the universe comes from the same basic process. When an electron absorbs energy, it moves to a higher orbit. When the electron falls back down to a lower energy state, a packet of energy, known as a photon, is released. Electrons can get excited in a number of different ways. In the sun, a candle flame or an incandescent light bulb, the electrons are thermally excited, which is why we tend to associate heat and light. In bioluminescence the electrons are excited by a very efficient chemical reaction that generates no heat at all. This is why bioluminescence is sometimes called cold light.
WHY?
There are so many bioluminescent creatures in the ocean, because their ability to make light helps them to survive. Some use their light to help them find food, some use it to help them find mates, some use it to defend themselves against predators and some, like this Viperfish, use light for all these purposes.
Real fish:
Fish from "Finding Nemo"
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4 comments:
cool. nice to know. Maybe, as I was skim reading it, I might have missed it, but I heard there is a place in the world, that as you swim at night, the water all around you lights up. I have always fantacized about taking my wife to a beach like that.
It is called Biobay and is in Viequez Puerto Rico. We have travelled there twice. It is awesome! However, PR doesn't take care of this rare gem and is allowing gas boats into the bay and building up around the bay causing light pollution. We noticed how much it has become less brilliant- it was very sad to see that it is not taken care of! It will be gone when my kids are grown, that is why we have gone back...
There are several places in the world the bioluminescence can be seen. It is absolutely magical. Where we live we go kayaking in the night and the water around the kayak light up, and every paddle stroke is like fireworks.
The Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica is definitively a good place to go to if want to experience this.
Just be aware when planning you travel that it is less spectacular around full moon as it does not get dark enough.
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