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Science Friday: I'll take bioluminescence for $500 Alex

Submitted by Tjadendevries on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 4:03pm


Help! My Water is Glowing!

January 28th, 2010 by Bunny

    I’ve never seen the ocean glow, but Katie Spotz did this week. She has been rowing in the Atlantic Ocean for 3 weeks now, getting closer to South America each day. A recent tweet from her:

    “Can anyone explain what these glowing specks in the water are? Every night I see them and have no clue what they are”

    [...]

    Bioluminescence in the water has puzzled people for thousands of years, starting with Aniximenes in 500 B.C. Many have guessed over the years.

    The glow is likely from bioluminescent dinoflagellates—that is, marine plankton that light up. The plankton light up when they sense a predator. The purpose is to attract a bigger predator that will eat the plankton’s predator!

    For more historical ideas on bioluminescence, see A History of Marine Bioluminescence According to E.N. Harvey.