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 ...

Some animals produce their own light, no special effects involved. In certain cases, it helps them hunt or avoid predators.

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 ...

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 ...

Scientists found a bioluminescent deep-sea animal with a “gelatinous” body and discovered a new species, a study said. Photo from MBARI From a research vessel off the coast of California, a team of ...

Bioluminescence traces back to the Cambrian era — 540 million years ago — and could have been used for communication, courtship and camouflage among the earliest ocean creatures. When you purchase ...

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 ...