Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Our research focuses on octocorals – soft-bodied corals such as sea fans that have treelike shapes and are found in various places ...

Humans have long been fascinated by organisms that can produce light. Aristotle, who was a scientist as well as a philosopher, wrote the first detailed descriptions of what he called "cold light" more ...

Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago in a group of marine invertebrates called octocorals, according to the results of a new study from scientists with the ...

Stephen has degrees in science (Physics major) and arts (English Literature and the History and Philosophy of Science), as well as a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication. Stephen has degrees in ...

Hundreds of plants, fungi, and animals can do it. Now scientists think bioluminescence may have evolved 540 million years ago in Earth’s ancient oceans. Research suggests that bioluminescence may have ...

Many creatures light up the world’s waters. From microorganisms that turn shoreline waves electric blue at night to anglerfish deep down who use glowing lures to entice prey, a varied array of marine ...

Bioluminescence can be found in a variety of creatures, like squid or fireflies, but have you heard of bioluminescent gophers? Researchers have discovered that pocket gophers, which are little ...

From the depths of the ocean to the forest floor at night, some animals can do something that seems almost magical: they make their own light. This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence. But glowing ...

You may have seen pictures of blue, glowing beaches under a dark sky. This glow is called bioluminescence. It is emitted by tiny organisms called bioluminescent algae that live in the water.

The splendid deep-sea coral Iridogorgia sp. Deep-sea octocorals that are known to be bioluminescent. Credit: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at ...