Latest news with #bioluminescence
Times
5 days ago
- Times
12 of the world's best bioluminescent beaches
Bioluminescence might have a tidy scientific explanation — think trillions of light-emitting plankton reacting to movement — but no biology lesson can prepare you for the real-life spectacle of the 'underwater northern lights'. Wade into Mosquito Bay on Puerto Rico's Vieques island and watch in wonder as your fingers leave ethereal, glowing blue trails in their wake. Paddle Vietnam's Ha Long Bay at midnight to witness the Gulf of Tonkin perform a glittering dance as your kayak slices through the stillness. In Japan's Toyama Bay, it's firefly squid that steal the show, rising from deep canyons each spring to transform fishing boats into floating electric-blue constellations. Even the Jersey Shore — just an hour south of New York City — has its moment: in summer, Manasquan Beach glows blue by night, red by day. Yes, a new moon, dark skies and minimal light pollution help, but anyone who's experienced this phenomenon will surely harbour a suspicion that magic also plays its part. From Tasmania to Thailand, these are the world's best bioluminescent beaches. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Sprinkled across the East China Sea, this group of islands is named after a statue of Mazu, the Taoism goddess of the sea, on the main island of Nangan. Each year, their rocky shorelines begin to glow from May, and there's a chance to spot the phenomenon until September. Travellers can witness the spectacle, romantically referred to as 'blue tears' by locals, around a few of the islands. There are no guarantees of seeing the blue tears in the wild but Nangan is home to the Matsu Blue Tears Ecological Museum, where algae is cultivated and you can see the phenomenon in a lab-like environment. Accommodation in the Matsu islands tends to be quite basic, but home stays can offer a good way to experience the off the beaten track destination. Try Matsu Seaside View Homestay on Nangan, which is close to one of the beaches where blue tears appear. Set your compass for magic on the tropical paradise that is Havelock Island. Officially known as Swaraj Dweep, and one of the largest of India's Andaman Islands, it's accessible via a short hop by ferry or seaplane from capital Port Blair. While days are best spent exploring the island's wildlife-rich rainforests, after dark, it's the mangrove forests that dazzle — particularly around the new moon phase from November to January, when weather and water conditions are optimal for a bioluminescent extravaganza. Join a night kayaking tour from Havelock Jetty to explore the mangrove-lined waters in which plankton thrive, witnessing the glowing waters — and some of the island's best beaches, including Elephant, Radhanagar, Beach No. 5 and Kalapathar — up close. For luxury with exceptional service, book a stay at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans. The balmy summer and autumn months are your best bet for catching a bioluminescent display on the enchanting Caribbean 'Spice Isle' of Grenada, where — when conditions are right — coastlines literally light up with life. Luminous nightly shows come courtesy of the marine algae noctiluca scintillans, which glows an atypical bold amber-orange — a reaction to organic matter in the tides. Locals often liken the drifting spots to embers dancing across the waves, with the spectacle having been seen in recent years from beaches including La Sagesse and Grand Anse. Spice Island Beach Resort is one of Grenada's best hotels and has a prime location right on Grand Anse beach. Hidden on the southern coast of Vieques, off the east coast of mainland Puerto Rico, this narrow inlet widens into a dolphin-shaped bay of mangroves that protects the brightest occurrence of bioluminescence in the world according to Guinness World Records. Mosquito Bay is thick with diamond-bright dinoflagellates that shimmer come nightfall. To protect the delicate ecosystem, no swimming is allowed. You can arrange a boat tour, but we recommend booking a glass-bottom kayak tour for an otherworldly immersion. The nearest town to Mosquito Bay is Esperanza, where Puertas at El Quenepo offers a characterful stay on the seafront. Nicknamed the 'Sea of Stars' island, Vaadhoo sits in Raa Atoll in the Maldives and is home to fewer than 500 people. Visit during the dry season, between December and March, to improve your chances of a sighting. Come nightfall, head to the uninhabited northern tip of the islet to stroll barefoot amid the stars and trace messages in shining letters in the sand. Experience the bioluminescence during a stay at Vaadhoo View Inn, a homestay close to the Sea of Stars beach. • Best all-inclusive hotels in the Maldives• Best family hotels in the Maldives The months of March to May mark hotaru-ika (firefly squid) season in Toyama Bay. Situated on the west coast of Japan, a couple of hundred miles northwest of Tokyo, this deep v-shaped canyon fills with mass gatherings of the three-inch-long squid. During the day, these cephalopods live at great depths, but each evening they ascend to the surface to mate and the photophores at the end of their tentacles light up. Sightseeing boats depart at 3am from the fishing port of Namerikawa for a two-hour tour to the spawning grounds where you can watch fishers (the squid are a delicacy) haul up an illuminated catch that turns their boats into turquoise beacons. The 13-day Cycle Japan tour from Explore! includes an overnight stay in Toyama Bay with a chance to sample the local seafood — keep your fingers crossed to see those firefly squid while you're there. • Best hotels in Tokyo• Unmissable Japan adventures This unassuming tree-fringed shallow-water beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, 26 miles north of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island, is usually frequented by families visiting for a safe paddle. Matakatia is a quiet suburb punctuated with pockets of nature reserve and home to just over 2,000 people — and when the tides are right, 'blue gold' can be seen. Locals report algae blooms are strongest when heavy rain is followed by a hot evening, with peaks occurring two hours either side of high tide. Tindalls beach, just a little further north, is also a good spot. Consider visiting this remote spot on a self-drive holiday. Travelbag has several options including a 21-day Ultimate New Zealand Campervan Adventure. • Best New Zealand itineraries Warming seas brought bioluminescence to Tasmania in the early 1990s. For the best sea sparkle make a beeline for Coles Bay — incidentally, the first town in the world to ban plastic shopping bags — which sits inside Freycinet National Park, a three-hour drive from Hobart. Its knuckles of greened granite mountains punch into azure bays and the lack of light pollution makes phytoplankton easy to spot. Start your search at Honeymoon Bay or the oh-so-photogenic perfect smile of white sand at Wineglass Bay. The seven-day Tasting Tasmania & Flinders Island tour from AAT Kings is a small-group adventure that includes a two-night stay in Coles Bay. • Best Australian experiences Known for its limestone pinnacles jutting from the emerald Gulf of Tonkin, Unesco-listed Ha Long Bay in northeast Vietnam is a popular tourist destination and a bit of a gamble due to a rise in sediment. You'll need to book a reputable overnight boat tour, as they know the safe paddling spots. Most tours include squid fishing and shine lights on the water. You'll usually need to wait until midnight for these to be switched off. Then you can swim and swish your arms to see bioluminescent algae sparkle. The 14-day Vietnam & the Reunification Express tour from Wendy Wu includes a two nights cruising in Halong Bay, and will take you from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City as part of the itinerary. • Best hotels in Vietnam Selected as a filming location for Survivor, this tropical island, a 40-minute ferry ride from Sihanoukville on the Cambodian mainland has developed only 15 per cent of its land, so there's very little light pollution if you avoid the main tourist area of Koh Touch. On moonless evenings, head around the corner to the sugar-sand Long Set Beach for a sparkly swim, or book one of the boat tours advertised on the beach. The 14-day Ultimate Cambodian Adventure from G Adventures visits Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kratié, Kampong Cham, Kampot, Kep, as well as Koh Rong. Unbelievably, just an hour south of New York City, this strip of sand, which is one of the most popular Jersey Shore beaches, experiences algal blooms between July and September. During the day, the dinoflagellates mass together until the water turns red and creates a red tide, but at night they appear as electric blue waves. If you turn up at sunset, you'll be able to experience both. A 20-minute drive north, Asbury Ocean Club Hotel is one of the nicest places to stay on this stretch of coast. • Best value hotels in New York On the east coast of Bali, an hour from the capital of Denpasar, Padangbai is the main departure point for ferries to the neighbouring island of Lombok and one of the island's busiest ports. It's the last place you'd expect to see bioluminescence. But join a night dive and they'll take you beneath the waves and encourage you to turn off your torch and kick your fins to discover an Avatar-esque world of blue. The beachfront OK Divers Resort & Spa is the perfect base — it's Padi-certified and suitable for new and experienced divers. • Best hotels in Bali Additional reporting by Julie Alpine and Qin Xie
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Fireflies are hard to miss in Michigan. What to know as they light up backyards
Perhaps once collected in a jar or observed from the palm of your hand, fireflies are curious creatures that communicate via a yellow glow. They are especially chatty on hot summer nights. Fireflies (or lightning bugs) prefer hot and humid weather. They emerge when temperatures become warm typically around May or mid-June. Residents can expect to see more fireflies over the summer after a mild winter and a rainy spring, according to the Farmers' Almanac. At dusk or later in the night they become active creating quite the spectacle. Their ability to create light is credited to a process called bioluminescence. Fireflies can control the chemical reaction inside their light organ located in their lower abdomen. Species of jellyfish, shrimp, shark, squid and other marine animal share the same ability. According to NC State University, fireflies use bioluminescence to intimidate predators, attract a mate and even communicate. In North America, there are hundreds of firefly species with three main groups, called photinus, pyractomena and photuris, based on Mass Audubon, and they vary in size and even the color of their light. For example, pyractomena fireflies flash an amber color, while photinus flash a yellow-green. Though fireflies are frequent in Michigan this summer, their populations overall are threatened due to habitat loss and light pollution, according to Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. As fireflies continue to flash, sparkle and possibly inspire a child-like wonder, here's more on these species in Michigan: Why do fireflies light up? Fireflies communicate via flashes of their light to attract mates, deter predators or claim territory, according to Firefly Conservation and Research. Flashes are unique to firefly species, though the photinus carolinus fireflies flash in synchronization — a rare, temporary behavior that occurs during the summertime, and previously observed in many national parks. "Each species of firefly has its own pattern. Many fireflies look similar, so these flash patterns help to identify particular firefly species," Mass Audubon said. Both male and female fireflies have the ability to create light, though to tell them apart, males have a larger light organ covering two segments of their bodies, while females' light organs are typically smaller. Are fireflies a beetle? Yes, fireflies are beetles and they belong to the insect order called coleoptera and the insect family called Lampyridae — which means "to shine," in Greek, according to Michigan State University's Extension. Like other species of beetles, fireflies have two pairs of wings with a shell-like covering to protect their wings, so while they are flying, their shell is raised upward to let their wings flap freely. Do fireflies bite? No, fireflies do not bite or sting humans. However, they may become a nuisance if a few accidently enter your house. According to pest control company Orkin, to keep fireflies out of your home, remove or reduce outdoor lightning so they only have their bioluminescence to rely on. What do fireflies eat? Fireflies are a predatory beetle and eat other insects like snails, slugs or worms. They go through a lengthy life cycle (up to 3 years) and spend most of their life in the larval stage underground, and at this stage they are "eating machines," according to MSU's Extension. Not only do they have an appetite, but they have a fierce hunting strategy. According to Firefly Atlas, they inject a paralyzing neurotoxin into their prey then emit a digestive enzyme to liquefy them before eating. Why are firefly populations going down? According to Firefly Conservation and Research, the main factors disrupting firefly numbers are habitat loss and light pollution. "Scientists have observed that synchronous fireflies get out of synch for a few minutes after a car's headlights pass," the research-based organization said. "Light from homes, cars, stores, and streetlights may all make it difficult for fireflies to signal each other during mating — meaning fewer firefly larvae are born next season," the organization said." Here are a few ways to help steady their populations from your backyard: Turn off outdoor lighting Create a firefly habitat Avoid using pesticides or weed killers Plant native trees, like pine trees In addition, people may report their firefly sightings to help track their distribution nationally. Firefly Atlas, a conservation organization, features a tracker for members (after creating an account) to submit their sightings. Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@ This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Fireflies in Michigan: What to know about their glow, life cycle Solve the daily Crossword
Vogue
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
It's Alive! Iris Van Herpen's Latest Innovation? A Dress Made From 125 Million Bioluminescent Algae
As fittings were underway on Saturday, Van Herpen and her latest collaborator, Chris Bellamy, gave Vogue a preview of the creation. Like some kind of otherworldly specimen on display, the dress and pant ensemble hung inside a box carefully controlled with light—exactly the wavelength where the algae are found 50 meters below sea level—and humidity, with a cloud of cold steam pooling around the base. Photo: Molly SJ Lowe/ Courtesy of Iris Van Herpen Photo: Molly SJ Lowe/ Courtesy of Iris Van Herpen In this daylight setting, the dimensional pattern was not illuminated, but milky white with a trace of blue; an imperfect comparison might be glow-in-the-dark stickers that have a greenish tinge. Like humans, pyrocystis lunula need 'sleep' and have their own light cycles like our Circadian rhythms. In the wild, they emit light in response to movement and/or when they sense predators. No word yet who Van Herpen is casting to wear the look or how the model will provoke the flash of light. Yet with Van Herpen standing on one side of the box and Bellamy on the other, they explained how they first connected in February, some two years after Bellamy began his research in French Polynesia (he still travels there while also working in France, the UK and Amsterdam, where Van Herpen is based). Once they agreed to advance on the project, Bellamy got to work on the algae farm—essentially a chamber of controlled light where the microorganisms grow in seawater, doubling in quantity every two weeks. After enough time, there was 20 liters of algae—a little more than a half-filled bathtub. Going from a liquid state to a solid that could be injected into Van Herpen's custom molds involved transferring the algae to a seaweed nutrient gel—some 50 were tested to arrive at the right texture, color, and overall balance—and coating the forms with a protective membrane that's breathable and allows them to live and glow. In total, this turned into a roughly 35-step process with support from the University of Amsterdam and the Francis Crick Institute for biomedical research. After significant trial and error, not to mention attaching the pattern to an illusion mesh second skin, they said they reached the successful outcome—'it worked,' said Bellamy—about a month ago. The garments are now stored according to precisely controlled conditions that correspond to the algae's native environment, such as temperature, light, humidity and rhythm. The organisms can continue to mate and reproduce inside the garment forms, making the dress brighter and brighter. As for an odor, Bellamy replies, 'No, you can just smell the seawater.'
Arabian Business
03-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
This Spanish biotech startup makes plants glow in the dark – and Dubai is next
Pablo Vidarte has spent the last decade perfecting something that sounds like pure science fiction: making ordinary plants glow in the dark. Now the Spanish entrepreneur is bringing his experimental landscaping technology to Dubai, targeting villa owners with promises of gardens that light themselves. It might sound fantastical, but Vidarte's Barcelona-based company Bioo has deployed variations of the technology across three different approaches. The company already has installations in Riyadh using phosphorescent compounds, though specific locations were not disclosed, with brightness levels remaining limited to ambient lighting. Resort guests in Ibiza experience the world's first biotechnological botanical garden with interactive plant installations. Meanwhile, natural bioluminescent fungi illuminate spaces without any modification whatsoever. 'In Dubai, we are making villas,' Vidarte told Arabian Business on the sidelines of GBB's Real Estate Development Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. 'Two, three months.' Biotech cities of the future The technology behind Bioo Lumina – the company's bioluminescent landscaping system – represents what Vidarte calls 'a leap forward in the lighting of urban green areas,' offering three distinct solutions that address different regulatory environments and brightness requirements. Bioo's approach splits into three categories: Natural solutions use over 58 species of bioluminescent fungi without modification, though light output remains dim. The Compound approach applies phosphorescent substances that plants absorb within 24 hours to eventually create consistent nighttime illumination while still maintaining normal biological functions. 'The compound itself doesn't genetically modify the plant. It grows with it,' Vidarte explained. 'The most important thing is that it doesn't affect its offspring.' A third Genetic approach remains in development, engineering plants to produce luciferase naturally, though this faces regulatory approval challenges across most markets. Bioo's technology has moved from laboratory experiments to real-world installations, though questions remain about long-term commercial viability. The company reports installations in Barcelona, Ibiza, and Riyadh, with varying scales and applications. The largest project appears in Medina, Saudi Arabia, where a luxury resort features 120,000 square metres of luminescent plants arranged in star constellation patterns. The installation reportedly cost over €2 million ($2.35 million), though returns on investment remain undisclosed. 'It looks like a mirror, and it's super cool. I mean, it's like having a lake reflecting the stars, but without water. Just, luminescent plants.' In Ibiza, the company operates what it describes as a biotechnological botanical garden featuring glowing plants and interactive installations where visitors trigger musical sequences by touching vegetation. The facility includes plant-activated systems that DJ David Guetta used for a 2018 performance. Founded in 2015, Bioo has positioned itself as a leader in what Vidarte believes will be the next technological revolution. 'The next revolution humanity will see is the biotech one,' he said, pushing back against the current AI obsession sweeping Silicon Valley and beyond. The company's broader mission extends far beyond glowing plants. Bioo has developed biological batteries capable of generating energy from soil decomposition, saving water, and absorbing CO₂. Their Bioo Panel technology can reduce irrigation needs by 50 per cent while regulating temperature by 4°C and absorbing 8kg of CO₂ per square metre. 'We've made sort of the mechanism that already is able to transform a park into an asset instead of a liability,' Vidarte explained. 'What if we could now reshape the lighting of the park?' The entrepreneur's vision of 'biotech cities' challenges conventional urban planning. These would be environments where buildings and infrastructure work symbiotically with nature, using biological processes to generate energy, purify air, and regulate temperature. 'We envision a greener future through a true symbiosis between nature and technology,' according to the company's mission statement. Bioo estimates that interaction with plants can increase people's well-being by more than 15 per cent, potentially extending life expectancy by 12 years. For all its science fiction appeal, Bioo faces practical challenges in scaling bioluminescent landscaping. Current brightness levels suit ambient lighting rather than high-intensity illumination, limiting applications to parks, gardens and entertainment venues rather than major roads requiring safety lighting. The phosphorescent compound approach requires annual maintenance as plants grow and dilute compound concentrations. Installation costs remain largely undisclosed, though industry estimates suggest approximately €19 (approx. $22) per square metre for large projects, potentially competitive with premium LED systems when factoring in zero electricity consumption. Bioo claims its bioluminescent technology can reduce lighting-related energy consumption by up to 80 per cent, though independent verification of these figures is not available. The company suggests additional benefits including air purification and carbon sequestration, though environmental scientists question the introduction of phosphorescent compounds into urban ecosystems. The breakthrough Vidarte's journey began in 2014 with a 3 AM breakthrough. 'At 3 AM I woke up and I said, shit, that's so cool that it needs to be done,' he said. Seven years of development followed before commercial launch in 2021, focusing on compounds ordinary vegetation could absorb naturally rather than genetic modification. 'I basically stayed in my own cave during several weeks [of] studying, learning. Then I created a team of volunteers – engineers and biotechs, from companies, universities,' he described of the early days. At 34, Vidarte has accumulated over 20 international awards including recognition from Google and the European Parliament, among others. His vision extends beyond novelty lighting into 'symbiotic architecture' where technology and nature actively support human well-being. 'If you woke up in a biotech city, the first thing you would do is touch a plant just to turn on the lights,' he explained. 'Afterwards, you would go to your living room and you would see that there are plants hanging from the ceiling just compensating heat, working as a natural air conditioner. You would go out and you would see in your city that even the street lights are powered with the very same ground that the water that is generated, even in Dubai, for example, from the very same desert, from the soil itself.' Plants, Vidarte said, have their own complex social structures. 'They communicate through sound and through the roots, and they even have wars and allies and a lot of geopolitics. There's a lot of geopolitics in plants.' The company's interactive installations tap into this plant communication, creating what Bioo calls 'living libraries' where touching plants triggers recorded human messages. 'It's like an evolutionary monument that depends on the human being and nature, and only one of these two fails, everything goes away.' Dubai's embrace of bioluminescent landscaping aligns with the UAE's Net Zero 2050 strategy and the emirate's reputation for architectural innovation. The city's growing luxury villa market increasingly competes on unique environmental credentials alongside traditional amenities. Vidarte declined to name specific Dubai clients but confirmed residential and commercial installations are already underway. The technology offers villa owners something genuinely novel – gardens that glow without grid electricity. However, this raises questions about maintenance costs and practical utility beyond aesthetic appeal. 'We're transforming the view of creating practical cities where you box yourself in concrete boxes, and where nature is just decoration outside. What if we could literally merge nature and technology?'
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Our brains are glowing, and scientists want to figure out why
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. The human brain is a fascinating organ. Not only are we just starting to truly discover how the brain learns, but we're finding out even more new things about one of our body's most important pieces. For instance, according to new findings, the human brain is almost constantly glowing, and scientists have no idea why. But they want to find out. It's strange to imagine your brain emitting light, but almost everything in the world emits photons of some type, which means everything is emitting some type of light. However, most of the time this light is in a part of the spectrum that the human eye cannot see. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 When it comes to the human brain, researchers believe that the glowing seen within the brain may come from biomolecular reactions, which generate energy and thus create photons as a byproduct. As such, the more energy the tissue burns, the more of a glow it emits, which means the brain should glow brightest out of all the tissue found in our bodies. The authors behind a new study believe that the relationship between this bioluminescence and brain activity could hint at a deeper role for light to play in the brain. But this isn't exactly a new idea, either. Humans have been debating the role of biophotons in the human body, as well as the part they play in cellular communication, since the 1920s, at least. That's part of why the researchers behind this new study decided to pay so much attention to the brain. Upon closer inspection, they found that the brain does indeed glow thank to the production of photons when energy is generated. Additionally, they found that the presence of light is much greater when captured directly within a living brain, versus looking at a few cells on a petri dish. Of course, this still doesn't tell us the exact role that biophotons play in brain activity or cellular communication. But it does at least teach us a bit more about the brain, and give scientists another thread to follow as they search for deeper answers. More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
