Science Memes

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Lightning bugs!! (mander.xyz)

submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 121 points 2 days ago (21 children)

Bioluminescence is actual magic. I will take no calls on this matter.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Humans are bioluminescent, too! But it's too dim for anything to actually be able to see, so it's no fun.

[–] captain_aggravated 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is that "article" trying to say we're exothermic and thus glow in the infrared?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Short answer: no

Long answer:

In scientific terms, the glow comes from chemical reactions within our bodies. These chemical reactions besides generating energy and producing heat also produce free radicals – atoms or molecules that have a lone, isolated electron. That makes these radicals highly reactive setting off a series of energetic chemical reactions as they interact with various fats and proteins in our cells. The glow is produced when these reactions involve fluorophores – molecules that give off photons (elementary particles of light).

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