Why Bioluminescence Evolved to Be Red Light, and Blue

Fourth of July fireworks may be breathtaking, but Americans hardly have to wait until then for a spectacular light show: the world is constantly aglow, from the depths of the sea to the grass beneath your feet on sticky summer nights. Bioluminescence, the production of living light through glowing bacteria or chemical reactions, is one of nature’s most miraculous displays. And it’s surprisingly abundant, having evolved almost 30 times in marine fishes alone. But there’s something curious about these natural fireworks: they seem to have evolved into contained color categories that also happen to be quite patriotic.

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(Marli Wakeling / BIOSPHOTO / Alamy)

From glow-in-the-dark squid to the terrifying stoplight loosejaw, creatures of the deep have evolved their own living light time and time again.

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(Spider.Dog / Flickr)

The female anglerfish can carry up to eight male anglerfishes on her body, where they whither away to little more than testicles.

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(Mike Lewinski / Wikicommons)

Fireflies speak in their own languages of light, each species using a distinct code.

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For the first time ever, the starlight camera captures sea creatures' bioluminescent paths, and the ocean glows with light.

Angler fish and other monsters from the dark depths of the ocean attract unsuspecting fish with their weird and wonderful brightly lit lures.