Fluorescent Planktons at Night
This breathtaking phenomena is know as bioluminescence, and I find it to be stunningly beautiful.
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. It mainly occurs in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms and terrestrial invertebrates.
The biological light, or bioluminescence, in the waves is the product of a type phytoplankton, called dinoflagellate. They are also referred to as Noctiluca, or sea sparkle. Noctiluca are so small that thousands of them can fit in a single drop of water.
Scientists believe that the bioluminescence is a result of the dinoflagellates (Noctiluca) internal mechanism to startle or scare away its predators. The most commonly glow when disturbed, tides, storms, swimming marine life and passing ships can cause large numbers of these plankton to produce light.
