The glow in Lough Hyne comes courtesy of dinoflagellates (tiny, single-celled plankton) floating near the surface of the ...

Francesca Mollett, ‘Annual Honesty’, 2025, exhibition view. Courtesy: the artist and Modern Art, London Sous-bois ...

Expert weighs in on the dwindling population of fireflies and shares tips on how gardeners can attract them to their yards ...

Their bioluminescence serves several purposes, including attracting mates, warding off predators and signaling danger, according to the MSU Extension website.

On rare nights, the waters of Jervis Bay in New South Wales light up with an eerie, electric-blue glow—a phenomenon caused by bioluminescent plankton that emit light when disturbed. The effect is pure ...

The only instance of bioluminescence in a freshwater animal is Latia neritoides, a limpet-like snail native to New Zealand streams, where it emits a glowing slime when bothered.

Shafiee’s group has now developed an easy-to-use bioluminescent diagnostic test that can accurately detect several viruses in blood serum (Nat. Biomed. Eng. 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s41551-025-01405-9).

New bioluminescence tool LUCAS detects viruses faster and more accurately, revolutionizing diagnostics with enhanced brightness and endurance.

Bioluminescence offers some of the most awe-inspiring natural displays, where night waters turn into shimmering light shows. Come explore glowing bays, radiant beaches, and shimmering forests.