Kid-Friendly Fridays: Bioluminescence at Lights Alive!

There are lots of cool creatures deep in the ocean and many are capable of bioluminescence or the ability to glow like fireflies do. Bioluminescence means “living light”.

In the sea, there are lots of animals that make light with chemical reactions. The colors vary and can be seen from violet to red with the most common in blue.

There are many reasons that animals give off bioluminescence. Some use it as a scare or escape tactic while others attract mates and prey with their glowing light. Lights Alive from the San Diego Natural History Museum is a great website devoted to all the awesome facts, animals and wonder of bioluminescence, get glowing online at Lights Alive.