The bamboo coral _Isidella_ displaying bioluminescence in the Caribbean in 2009. Sönke Johnsen, CC BY-ND Our research focuses on octocorals – soft-bodied corals such as sea fans that have treelike ...

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 ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Like jellyfish, fungi, sea worms, and fireflies, some species of ...

Some creatures glow naturally, in a phenomenon known as bioluminescence. It's thought that this trait has evolved independently in various animals at least 94 times, and has been associated with a ...

You probably don’t associate the Frost Museum of Science with late-night partying. But its newest exhibit, “Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence,” will have guests lingering in a dark, ...

Evolving roughly 27 different times in the long history of fish, bioluminescence -- the biological production of light -- is one of the flashier survival tools used for luring prey, communication, and ...

Researchers are piecing together the unusual chemical reactions that enable dinoflagellates to create spectacular light displays in tropical bays. But the mechanism behind their bioluminescence remain ...

The splendid deep-sea coral Iridogorgia sp. Deep-sea octocorals that are known to be bioluminescent. Credit: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Note to editors: Photos illustrating this ...