Have you ever seen the sea sparkle? Glittery blue waves that reach out to touch your feet?
That, my friends, is the phenomenon of bioluminescence.
It’s when the ocean becomes a vivid blue, green or even red!
This enchanted and magnificent scene appears to be straight out of James Cameron’s movie Avatar!
When it comes to memorable moments, this has to be close to the top of the list.
Let’s get into the science of it shall we?
Because waves? Sparkling? NEON BLUE?
It just doesn’t add up!
Thanks to a natural chemical process known as bioluminescence, the ocean can light up! The same as stars in the night sky.
Some marine creatures, such as fish, squid, tiny crustaceans, and algae, use bioluminescence to confuse predators, attract prey, or even tempt potential mates.
The organisms gather on the water’s surface during the day, turning the water reddish-brown and causing what is known as the red tide.
In the evening, the algae put on a light show, shining the brightest in murky waters.
We can see bioluminescence in the water when there is an algae bloom of plankton.
The algae reacts with oxygen to produce a bright blue flash when it is disturbed, such as when a predator swims through it or when a wave full of plankton breaks.
Furthermore, bioluminescence is regarded as a cold light, which denotes that less than 20% of the light produces thermal radiation or any other kind of heat This is also why it appears blue or whitish in colour.
Side note! Plankton produce bioluminescence during the night, so you’ll need to head to the beach after sunset. Thank me later!
