Bioluminescence: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 18, 2026

Facts

Also Known As	biological luminescence

Photos and Videos

time-lapse photo of fireflies

Bioluminescent Panellus stipticus mushrooms glowing bright green on a fallen log in darkness.

Bioluminescent anglerfish

Crystal jellyfish, Aequorea victoria, float against a black background, their translucent bells showing glowing radial canals and long trailing tentacles.

Photogenic organ

Underwater view of a glowing chain of tunicates with a scuba diver and boat visible near the water's surface in the background.

How do fireflies glow?

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Topics

foxfire Everything’s Illuminated: 6 Bioluminescent Organisms Marine bioluminescence How do fireflies light up?How Do Glowworms Glow?luminescence Pholas dactylus Arachnocampa luminosa Cirratulus deep-sea angler photosynthesis Bioaccumulation Glycogenolysis Catabolism beta-aminoisobutyric acid excretion Glycogenesis Anabolism photodynamism photorecovery

Key People

default image

Edmund Newton Harvey

American zoologist

Diversity among heteropterans. lace bug, termite bug, coreid bug, bat bug, toad bug, water strider, backswimmer, bedbug, stinkbug, water scorpion, plant bug, insects

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