The leading hypothesis for the origin of firefly lights has been overturned by a genomic analysis. It had been posited that the bright lights emitted by many species in the Lampyridae family of beetles—better known as fireflies—first ...
Evolution
Jun 25, 2024
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1
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 than 2,000 years ago. ...
Ecology
Jun 17, 2024
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0
Scientists have discovered bioluminescence is actually pretty common among deep-sea shrimp, with a new study identifying 157 species that are believed to possess the ability to emit light. Some do it by vomiting luminous ...
Plants & Animals
May 10, 2024
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18
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 Smithsonian's National Museum ...
Evolution
Apr 23, 2024
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119
Bioluminescent bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid have formed a longstanding mutually beneficial relationship. How the bacteria coordinate their behavior to colonize the squid—through cellular signaling and cues from ...
Ecology
Jul 17, 2023
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449
A research group from Nagoya University in central Japan has discovered three new species of bioluminescent polycirrus worms from different parts of Japan. Usually found in shallow water, polycirrus are small worms, known ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 29, 2023
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552
Cells are constantly making decisions that lead to differentiation. For instance, cells in an embryo make a series of decisions that determine whether they will become neurons in some cases and muscle cells in others. How ...
Biochemistry
Sep 27, 2022
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288
Different species of deep-sea shrimp have evolved to have different sized eyes to best see one another, according to new research.
Plants & Animals
Mar 24, 2022
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70
A dive into the deep sea is like a trip to outer space. The descent into darkness reveals twinkling lights. Sunlight cannot penetrate to these depths. Instead, this light show comes from the animals that live here. Scientists ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 19, 2022
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6
Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have developed a novel far red light-emitting luciferin-luciferase system that is more efficient than those available commercially. ...
Ecology
Mar 30, 2021
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7
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Its name is a hybrid word, originating from the Greek bios for "living" and the Latin lumen "light". Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring form of chemiluminescence where energy is released by a chemical reaction in the form of light emission. Fireflies, anglerfish, and other creatures produce the chemicals luciferin (a pigment) and luciferase (an enzyme). The luciferin reacts with oxygen to create light. The luciferase acts as a catalyst to speed up the reaction, which is sometimes mediated by cofactors such as calcium ions or ATP. The chemical reaction can occur either inside or outside the cell. In bacteria, the expression of genes related to bioluminescence is controlled by an operon called the Lux operon.
Bioluminescence occurs in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as microorganisms and terrestrial animals. Symbiotic organisms carried within larger organisms are also known to bioluminesce.
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