Being able to see in the dark often does not come easy. For humans, we typically need to find a flashlight, and more times than not, find new batteries to power the device. For animals, it can be different. Some animals may see fine and night, and some animals have large eyes like owls that capture lots of light, and some animals use other senses to gather information about their surroundings. We humans on the other hand are left fumbling for candles when the power is out for any length of time. But there are some life forms that have a completely different approach – bioluminescent life forms. Bioluminescence life forms make their own light and carry it around in their bodies. This paper will address bioluminescence and try to …show more content…
In luminescent animals, chemical compounds mix together to produce a glow. Several earthworm species create a luminescent secretion that does not have an obvious purpose. Unlike incandescence, it neither requires nor generates much heat. The reason for some mushrooms’ glow is also unclear, although some scientist believe it attracts insects that spread the mushrooms’ spores.
With the expanding technology and recent discoveries, more questions about bioluminescence are answered daily but the history of bioluminescence dates back thousands of years. Scientists had a basic idea of the difference between incandescence and luminescence as far back as 2500 years ago. One of the earliest written accounts of bioluminescence dates back to Aristotle, and in the first century Gaius Plinius Secundus, a roman statesman, naturalist, and writer who began to document some of the glowing creatures near his home. There he had access to the Bay of Naples, a body of water known to many bioluminescent creatures. He identified many of the glowing animals, including the "Plumo Marinus," recognized today as the Purple Jellyfish, and he also remarked on the luminescent clam, Pholas dactylus. He was also the first recorded human use of bioluminescence, describing how he used a walking stick rubbed against a jellyfish's slime to light up his trail. During the next 1,300 years, research of bioluminescent organisms was rare because such suspicious creatures were often considered
Fireflies are able to light up because inside their body, there there is a chemical reaction produced. The light production is also known as bioluminescence. The best known example of bioluminescence is the production of light by fireflies. In presence of luciferase, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the chemical luciferin in the presence produce light when oxygen combines with calcium. A firefly’s light is cold light and causes less energy is lost as heat which makes it special than light bulb. In a light bulb, a lot of heat in addition to
1-14 Bellringer 2: Incandescent bulbs give off a warm glow. The researchers created a bulb that still had filament in the center, but was surrounded with a new kind of filter that sits around the filament.
The tapetum lucidum is an evolutionary advantage for animals. It enables animals to see in dimmer light than the animal would otherwise be able to see in. The tapetum lucidum is useful to animals, but it also has a use to humans. Human beings use the tapetum lucidum to scan for reflected eye-shine, in order to detect and identify the species of animals in the dark and to send trained search dogs and search horses out at night. Historically, its function was regarded as simply to increase the light intensity of an image on the retina. Using eye shine to identify animals in the dark implies not only color but, also several other features. The color reciprocates to the type of tapetum
Have you ever wondered were led lights came from..? well I Daniel Mcfarland was born in Pennsylvania on February, 27 1869 and attended Lehigh University for college from 1884-1889. I studied electrical engineering, After experimenting with different sources, I started using glow discharges to produce light. In 1986 I had devised a glow discharge lighting system, creating an extension to the Geissler tube. The lamp utilized nitrogen and carbon dioxide as the luminous gas because they emitted a soft white light. My technique was the first commercially variable light source based on gas discharge instead of incandescence, and it's considered the predecessor to contemporary neon and fluorescent lighting.
Light can be produced in many different ways, including incandescence, phosphorescence, and fluorescence (Gunderman 1). Incandescence is when heat makes an object release light, like the filament in a light bulb. Phosphorescence is when a material absorbs energy and then releases it slowly over time, like glow-in-the-dark toys. Fluorescence is when a material absorbs energy and releases it quickly as light (Gunderman 1). Fluorescence is the process used in glow sticks (Science Fair Projects 1). The fluorescent dye in this experiment’s glow sticks released yellow light. Different color glow sticks are made with different dyes (Harris 2).
The luminal works with bounds to produce the glow, however the light emission decays slowly, glowing only for several minutes and its intensity may be greater than 1000-fold that of the unenhanced reactions between the chemicals and bounds. The iron functions as a catalyst in the light
When it comes to people, we all possess three color receptors within our eyes, allowing us to see visual light as we know it. However, there are many animals who have even more. The more receptors that an animal has, the more they can see. Topping the charts is the Mantis Shrimp, who have upwards of twenty color receptors, allowing them to see not only the visual light that humans see, but also into the invisible spectrums of ultraviolet and polarized light.
Furthermore, there are aquatic organisms such as the mantis shrimp that has an estimated 12-16 photoreceptor cells. In the presence of the 750 nm wavelength of light that humans cone cells aren’t sensitive enough to signal an observation, the mantis shrimps red cone cells are sensitive to this wavelength of light and can absorb the wavelengths to send a response to their brain. In the presence of UV-B (290-320 nm) wavelengths, humans blue cone cells aren’t sensitive enough or able to absorb enough of the light to signal a response to their brain. Whereas the Mantis Shrimp has various photo receptors that are sensitive to these
Chemiluminescence refers to luminol reacting with an oxidizing reagent such as hydrogen peroxide and any hydroxide-based base, resulting in blue light emission. Light is emitted because reactants go from an excited state to a lower energy level. Chemiluminescence is the result of light being emitted without heat due to a chemical reaction. Luminol’s chemiluminescent properties are commonly used for crime scene investigation. At crimes scenes, investigators spray luminol and a base to find blood traces.
Marine biology is thought to have first begun around 1200 BC when the Phoenicians, such as Cleopatra and her slaves, began ocean voyages using celestial navigation, which is the action of finding one’s way by observing the sun, moon, and stars. Cleopatra had the attribute of being the world’s most ruthless queen at the time and with her constant new ideas, using celestial navigation was lost until after the dark ages. It was not until Aristotle, from 384-322 BC, made specific marine life recordings
Animal coloration is due to pigmentation found in the skin, feathers, and fur. Pigments are chemical substances produced in animals, which are accountable for coloration in living things. Pigments absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect specific wavelengths of visible light. The visible light that is reflected is what is seen (Biological Pigments 2010). Chromatophores are also important. These are pigment containing cells that are in the deep layers of the skin in animals. Chromatophores can be identified as melanophores (black), erythrophores (red), xanthophores (yellow), or lecophores (white) based on the color of the pigments. The dispersal of these cells and the pigments and their orientation determine the color
What Light by jay Asher this book is mainly about Sierra’s family owns a Christmas tree farm in Oregon. Their family goes to California to sell Christmas trees from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Sierra didn’t know why but this year was different she thought that is was because that year was going to been the last year that she was going to go. She also thought that it was different because she had found someone with a tragic back story. Sierra has a friend named Heather, and Heather is her best friend in California. I do recommend this book because What Light can be relatable to certain people. The following reasons are why I would recommend this book. Reason one: Sierra has not yet told heather that, that year might be the last year that she was able to go. Sierra finally told Heather she was crushed for about a week she didn’t talk to Sierra. Sierra went to Heathers house to ask for forgiveness for hurting her feelings. Heather accepted it because they just wanted to spend those last few days of seeing each other together. They became friends again because they didn’t want to end up losing touch because they just wanted to stick together since Sierra might not go back to California.
Mechanisms for color change in vertebrates vary as to how and why they are able to change color. Ectothermic vertebrates can display a variety of color changes whether just a simple change or a complex change. Completing this change can take the vertebrate a few minutes to several hours. The change of the color could stem from an interest in a mate, aggression, finding prey or hiding from a predator. These are all examples from an environmental perceptive for either standing out against or matching their background. However the mechanism for their change lies not only on the surface of their skin, but also several layers within their skin. Ectothermic vertebrate skins have been studied numerous times to understand how they are able to
Almost all animals and a fair amount of plants are photosensitive. Photosensitive is the ability to detect and react to light. Many organisms can only recognise simple light, and react to them, however their eyes are not developed enough to recognise colour or images. To be able to form an image, an organism needs far more developed eyes. Almost all vertebrates, and some more
Without photosynthesis we would not be able to receive energy. We should be more appreciate of plants, without them we would not survive. This paper will explain the basic components require for photosynthesis, the role of chlorophyll, how energy is transferred, and photosystems I and II and the most precious product results of photosynthesis.