Luminous Life Forms: Producing Light for Millions of Years

Part 1· ~5 min read

Those parts of the sea that are deeper than 1,000 meters (3,300 feet below sea level) are known as “black depths,” and there is absolutely no light in such waters. Until very recently, it was thought that nothing…

Part 2· ~3 min read

The electric light bulb was invented by Edison in 1879 following hundreds of experiments. Edison's technique was based on a simple logic, and of course the first light bulbs had only a very short life span. This…

Part 3· ~3 min read

The energy needed in the basic reaction in bacteria’s production of light is taken from the bacterial cell’s ATP. Oxygen binds to a molecule known as luciferin and forms a new molecule. The marvelous thing here is…

Part 4· ~2 min read

The white layers immediately beneath the eye in some fish is a light organ where bacteria gather. By using this light organ, which resembles the headlights of a car, the fish catches prey entering into the light and…

Part 5· ~1 min read

Research investigating the bacterium with the scientific name of Vibrio fischeri have revealed some highly interesting facts. They established that these bacteria were in communication with one another. According to…