Skip to comments.
Glowing Sea Beasts: Photos Shed Light on Bioluminescence
nationalgeographic. ^
| May 7, 2010
| Ker Than
Posted on 05/09/2010 5:24:35 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Naturally produced light-emitting chemicals offer undersea advantages to (clockwise from top left) a pelagic worm, squid, krill, scaleless black dragonfish, and deepwater jellyfish.
Though research on bioluminescence recently garnered a Nobel Prize, the phenomenon is still poorly understood, according to a new paper reviewing recent discoveries about bioluminescence's benefits, its evolution, and the surprising diversity of ways plants and animals generate glowing substances. Eighty percent of all creatures known to produce their own light live in the ocean, according to the report, published today in the journal Science.
"There are no hiding places in the open ocean, so a lot of animals have evolved this trick of hiding in the dark depths during the day and coming up to eat at the surface water under the cover of darkness," said Edith Widder, a marine biologist at the Ocean Research and Conservation Association in Fort Pierce, Florida.
"This means they spend most of their lives in near darkness," she said. "And bioluminescence is very useful in that kind of environment"be it for finding food and mates, thwarting predators, or simply lighting the way.
TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: 20usernamesjpb; bioluminescence; jojogunn; ufo
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-29 next last
To: JoeProBono
We’ve just found your next round of UFO photergrafs.
2
posted on
05/09/2010 5:26:01 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
To: cripplecreek
>Weve just found your next round of UFO photergrafs
BWAHAHAHA!
DIY Abduction UFO Lamp Puts All Others To Shame
By Shane McGlaun on Friday 7th May 2010 3:48 pm in DIY, Design, Geeky
3
posted on
05/09/2010 5:35:03 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: cripplecreek
4
posted on
05/09/2010 5:36:39 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
5
posted on
05/09/2010 5:38:08 PM PDT
by
Krankor
To: JoeProBono
Somehow, just seeing the thread title, I knew this would be one of your threads :D
6
posted on
05/09/2010 5:38:19 PM PDT
by
Alex Murphy
(Pretentiousness is so beneath me.)
To: Krankor
7
posted on
05/09/2010 5:45:43 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Alex Murphy
8
posted on
05/09/2010 5:47:09 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
Now you have done it! You are going to get SOMEONE all excited about COW mutilations!
9
posted on
05/09/2010 5:50:45 PM PDT
by
Ditter
To: Ditter
You are going to get SOMEONE all excited about COW mutilations!I'm there!
10
posted on
05/09/2010 5:53:53 PM PDT
by
null and void
(We are now in day 472 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: Ditter
And *cue spooky music* apparently I'm not alone...
11
posted on
05/09/2010 5:55:23 PM PDT
by
null and void
(We are now in day 472 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: null and void
YUM! I BELIEVE in that kind of mutilation.
12
posted on
05/09/2010 5:55:52 PM PDT
by
Ditter
To: JoeProBono
As a food service professional, that's willing to try almost anything (yes, balutes), bioluminecence screams out to me "I taste like ****!
Nothing against the self lighting sea creatures, but they just don't make it to my 'I'm dying if I don't eat SOMETHING' list.
And as such, they remain a curiosity. If I can't eat it, fight it, or.... anyway, an amusing curiosity.
/johnny
To: null and void
Her table manners leave a little something to be desired.
14
posted on
05/09/2010 5:57:55 PM PDT
by
Ditter
To: Ditter
15
posted on
05/09/2010 5:59:00 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Ditter
What? It’s nor like she has her elbows on the table or anything...
16
posted on
05/09/2010 5:59:30 PM PDT
by
null and void
(We are now in day 472 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: null and void
I also happen to teach rhetoric, natural and revealed philosophy, and table manners. If you will forward me her email address, I'm sure that I can be of service.
Hold my beer and watch this....
/johnny
To: null and void
True but I don’t especially like eating and looking at her crotch and she has her feet on the table too.
18
posted on
05/09/2010 6:02:02 PM PDT
by
Ditter
To: Ditter
Quite correct. Elbows are off the table and tucked appropriately, but the heels should be off the table as well. A plate should be used instead of the product packaging.
/johnny
To: Ditter
*shrug* to eats his own...
20
posted on
05/09/2010 6:03:05 PM PDT
by
null and void
(We are now in day 472 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-29 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson