Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. The light emitted by organisms is produced by the energy released from the chemical reactions occurring within them. Many beaches have phytoplankton, a form of microalgae that floats on the water’s surface, creating a fluorescent blue that glows at night. Photo: Gergo Rugli.
Okayama, Japan: In the dark of night, the rocks at Okayama beach and above sparkle with a blue light thanks to a species of luminous creature. Commonly known as fireflies, however, this is actually a species of shrimp with the scientific names vargula hilgendorfii and “umihotaru” in Japanese. These glowing shrimp are only about 3mm in size, feeding at night by swimming near the shore. Their light lasts for 20 – 30 minutes and can glow again when water is poured again. Photo: Tdub.
Hermosa Beach, California, USA: You can admire the sight of bioluminescent waves at Hermosa Beach in California. There is a microscopic unicellular algae called lingulodinium polyhedra that produces blue light using luciferin (a luminous molecule). Photo: Jason Daniel Shaw.
Mattu Beach, Udupi, Karnataka, India: Located 10 km from Udupi, Mattu beach is a secluded destination known for its glow in the night. Bioluminescence is produced by a microorganism called Noctiluca. This flagellated algae lives in the sea and emits a blue light when disturbed. Photo: Tripoto.
Jervis Bay, Australia: Jervis Bay in Australia is famous for many attractions such as white sand, crystal clear waters and whale watching. In addition, the beautiful neon blue waves in the dark are also a sight visitors should explore. The magical blue light on each of those waves is produced by plankton micro-organisms. Photo: Jordan Robins Photography.
Yellow Sea, Dalian, Liaoning, China: The beach in Dalian glows at night with shimmering blue light. According to experts, the light is emitted by a type of plankton called flagellate when there are certain changes in the environment. With strong tidal activity, the blue space becomes brighter. Photo: CGTN.
