Almost everyone knows that some animals can glow in a process called bioluminescence. Typically, this is done by animals deep in oceans or caves where there is little or no light from the sun. The glowing is produced by enzymes and can create some very impressive lights.
Many other animals, however, can take the light that they come in contact with and re-emit it at a wavelength that is longer than what it originally was. This is a process known as biofluorescence. This happens when certain types of light come into contact with fluorophores and excite them so that they reemit the light.
Fluorophores are specialized molecules that some plants and animals have. They can serve a number of different purposes including helping to attract mates, attracting prey, helping with pollination, and more.
While humans have long known that some animals have this biofluorescence ability from simple observation, it is actually more common than once believed.
A preprint paper published on bioRxiv shows that some living things engage in biofluorescence at a wavelength that humans can’t see normally. The author of the paper, Hannah Burke, talked to about her findings:
“As humans, we are only capable of seeing into the visible light range on the electromagnetic spectrum (typically between about 380 nm to 700 nm is what the human eye can detect), whereas other different types of organisms have a different range that they are able to detect. For example, many pollinators, such as bees, can see into the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing them to see patterns and colorations on flowers that we as humans would be unable to see with the naked eye.”
She goes on to talk about how humans can easily find examples of this using a blacklight:
“Biofluorescent emission wavelengths are specific depending on the organism and the ecological purpose of the biofluorescence. Humans use blacklights to see patterns of fluorescence that we would otherwise be unable to see. Blacklights are a shorter wavelength than visible light, and when absorbed into certain fluorescent substances, the light will then be re-emitted at a longer wavelength that humans are able to perceive as biofluorescence. So, in short, humans sometimes need a little help from blacklights to see what so many creatures around us are able to perceive all on their own!”
Since backlights are quite common and easy to use, an organization was formed to encourage everyone to try to help find examples of plants and animals that have this trait, so they can be further studied.
The website Finding Fluorescence offers detailed information about how anyone can become a scientist and help to discover the next organism which is biofluorescent.
You can check out how this is done in their fun video here:
This sounds like a fun project for scientists of all ages.
If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about the mysterious “pyramids” discovered in Antarctica. What are they?
