Bioluminescence

[rockytopva]

To begin with... Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism, created by a chemical reaction inside the organism. This "cold light" is common in the ocean, with 75-90% of deep-sea animals using it for functions like communication, defense, and finding prey, though it's rarer on land where it's seen in organisms like fireflies. The light is typically produced by a molecule called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase, which react with oxygen to generate light (Defined from a Google AI Overview).

 

[rockytopva]

The ocean depths...

Sunlight Zone - Photosynthesis occurs above 200 meters (650')
Twilight Zone - Sunlight reaches the max depth of 1,000 meters (3,280')
Aphotic Zone - Sunlight does not penetrate below 1,000 meters (3,280')
Titanic - Rests at 3,800 meters (12,500')
Challenger Deep - In the Mariana's Trench- 11,000 meters (36,000') deep

The ocean pressures...

Sunlight Zone - 300 PSI
Twilight Zone - 1,500 PSI
Aphotic Zone - 1,500 PSI
Titanic - 6,000 PSI - 400x that of sea level
Challenger Deep - 16,000 PSI

Only 27 people have visited Challenger Deep, or about as many who have visited the moon.

 

[rockytopva]

Life at 12,000 feet (6,000 PSI) at what pressure the OceanGate Titan submersible imploded in June of 2023. This new species of Jellyfish was found in the Marianas Trench at those depths. - New Species of Unusual Jellyfish Discovered 2.3 Miles Below the Ocean's Surface

 

[rockytopva]

Anglerfish can be found at a depth of 4,500 meters (15,000') and use a glowing lure to attract prey... Surprisingly these creatures have eyes in their heads as well.

 

[rockytopva]

The chemistry behind bioluminescence is actual quite complicated... The key chemicals are luciferin (which acts as a fuel) and luciferarce (which acts as a spark).- Living Light: The Mechanisms and Diversity of Bioluminescence - Apologetics Press

 

[rockytopva]

The OceanGate Titan – Man’s attempt at deep sea bioluminescence

Organic Chemistry – A 4.5” carbon fiber hull
Size – 8’ long by 5’ deep. Basically a crawl space
Weight – 23,000 pounds
Passengers – 5 people
Claimed max depth – 13,000’
Speed – About 3mph on three thrusters
Imploded at – 11,000’ (The Titanic rests at 12,500’) in 2023

In googling the internet I do not read of anyone else who have attempted this using carbon fiber. This shows the immense pressures and challenges of deep sea reality. The last transmissions were, “drop two weights” indicating someone knew they were in trouble.

 

[Bob Crowley]

Fireflies use extremely efficient bioluminescence which outperforms our current lighting systems.

Although scientists are developing more efficient lighting, partly based on the design of fireflies.

Google Search

Fireflies produce light with remarkable efficiency, converting between 41% and nearly 100% of the energy from a chemical reaction directly into light. This is significantly more efficient than human-made incandescent light bulbs, which lose about 90% of their energy as heat.
The high efficiency of bioluminescence in fireflies is because they produce "cold light," meaning very little energy is lost as thermal energy.

 

[rambot]

Fireflies use extremely efficient bioluminescence which outperforms our current lighting systems.

Although scientists are developing more efficient lighting, partly based on the design of fireflies.

Google Search

And here's the funny thing.

Right wingers and those "uncomfortable with science" will just see a scientific study supported by tax dollars on "studying fireflies" and would be AGHAST that such money could be wasted.

 

[Tuur]

Some weird bioluminescence is decaying fish. Seriously. Depending on the microbes, decaying fish can faintly glow. Someone tried to use the effect for lighting once, but it was too dim. Maybe before the Davy lamps cut down coal mine explosions? Memory is hazy.

 

[Bob Crowley]

This is an AI generated response to the comment about decaying fish glowing. It is actually due to certain bacteria.

Decaying fish can glow due to bioluminescent bacteria, such as Photobacterium phosphoreum, that grow on the fish's surface as it decomposes. This is a form of bioluminescence where bacteria produce light through a chemical reaction, and this phenomenon has been observed in decaying fish for a long time.

As a fish dies and begins to decay, bacteria that are already on or in the fish can start to multiply rapidly.

Some of these bacteria are bioluminescent, meaning they produce their own light. A common example is Photobacterium phosphoreum, which is often found on dead seafood.

The light is produced by a chemical reaction involving an enzyme called luciferase, which is similar to the one found in fireflies.

This glowing effect is not new; historical records from ancient Greece and Rome mention the light produced by decaying fish and other organic matter.

This phenomenon only occurs when specific types of bioluminescent bacteria are present and thrive on the decaying fish.

The glow is a result of the bacteria, not the fish itself, and is a sign of spoilage.

While the glow itself is just from bacteria, it indicates that the fish is decomposing, so it should not be eaten.

 

[Ophiolite]

Thanks to @rockytopva and @Bob Crowley for shedding light on shedding light.