The Secret Behind Bioluminescent Bays

[@fishypaw]

I saw this in the Maldives one time. It was amazing. The beach lit up with each wave. If you waded through the sea your legs lit up and you could stand on the pier and watch fish swim through it and leave trails.

[@RangerRuby]

So cool! I wish I could see an ocean do that!

[@mariemr8574]

Jst saw it

[@heart0fthedrag0n]

We have them in Bulgaria as well, on the northern beaches of the Black Sea. They glow a dim blueish or greenish color. On a moonless night away from resorts they are quite beautiful.

[@raifariza1043]

I live in Maldives and this happens like almost every night! Still wows me everytime!

[@AkleshKumar-pg1nz]

Hi Mr./Mrs. Raifa Riza. Please tell me where can we see this in Maldives. I am so fascinated by this phenomenon. I want to visit the place only when this happens. Please tell me when and where I should visit?

[@unicornswag888]

I need to do a photoshoot at one of these bioluminescent beaches. I can just imagine the beautiful glow reflecting off of my glistening abs.

[@farmthecorn5652]

Omg I love you

[@Rooachie]

By far the funniest one since weeks, keep flexing boi

[@maracachucho8701]

No homo

[@theoregonguy]

This cousi happens out in the middle of the ocean. I was in the Navy and sometimes there would be a glowing trail behind the ship on a dark night.

[@keithdurant4570]

I seem to remember a WW2 mission where a flight from the USS Enterprise followed the light from the wake of the ship home.

[@richdiscoveries]

Thank you for your service

[@TrekkieBrie]

TheJeffreyJJones came here to say this. I too was in the navy and this was my favorite part of the fantail. Well that and the stars.

[@frtard]

@@keithdurant4570 Jim Lovell?

[@keithdurant4570]

@@frtard I honestly can't remember...just a documentary stuck in my head from long ago.

[@cheesecrew]

Imagine seeing this in the 1500s, you'd think it was magic.

[@somethingappropriate]

TheRealCheddar it probably is... Scientists still don’t really have a clue about it.

[@Roguey84]

I still think it is regardless. It’s amazing that living creatures can create a glow from their own bodies

[@kamakhyagatekanu]

I still think it's magical

[@Negs42]

@@somethingappropriate we do have a clue about it I personally study protists

[@leviroch]

Resolution bay, queen elizabeth track in south island new zealand, at about mid january this year. First time i have ever encountered a 'bioluminescent bay'. Watching seals and small sharks hunting smaller fish at night with the constant explosions if blue light as the baitfish would attempt to swim away is to date one of the most visually stunning things i have ever seen. . .

[@leviroch]

Oh. . . Did not know some could be dangerous lol. . . We were just divebombing off the jetty into it. . . It looked awesome though lol

[@leviroch]

Lasted 3 days straight. . .

[@VfletchS]

When I was in the navy, I'd go out onto the wingwalls or the flight deck overlooking the aft end of the ship. The props would churn so many of these up that it looked like the ship was being propelled by two huge sparklers. So relaxing to head out there at midnight after a long day/watch in the engine room, with stars like you've never seen anywhere within 200 miles of a big city, the warm tropical air, and those light trails in the water.

[@jamesharmer9293]

I see Hank hasn't paid the heating bill again. It's cruel how he forces the SciShow staff to work in the cold. Michael has to wear those thick padded jackets to keep warm and now Olivia's got a big woolly hat on....

[@jerry3790]

He’s trying to make them as tough as muscle hank

[@greatwhiteshark9355]

lol

[@stevenstehling]

SciShow production quality is pathetic considering how long they've been doing this and their relatively high profile. I get that a youtube channel won't necessarily have a budget for wardrobe, a producer/director that isn't blind or even a studio with functioning environmental control, but there are many things you can do to avoid featuring your host dressed like a homeless person. The obvious simple solution is to tell her to suck it up for the 10 minutes it takes to film the segment. Another almost as simple solution is to use graphic slides throughout the entire video instead of footage of the host. They already made graphics for the video. Open with the graphics and don't cut back to video of the host in awkward attire. If it's just the audio, we're not distracted with trying to figure out why Olivia is wearing a hobo costume.

[@Amccordford]

This episode is quite the wardrobe fail: the hat, the colors, the boxiness of the shirt, the fact that none of her outfits have been flattering to her beautifully pregnant form. Pure fail :(

[@glenngriffon8032]

@@Amccordford Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn't want to accent it? I mean I personally wouldn't get pregnant because I think the idea of swelling up and having a baby in me growing is incredibly nightmarish but even if I were to get pregnant I wouldn't be wearing clothes to show it off.

[@tiaxanderson9725]

Really glad we went to the bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico a couple of years back, amazing sight to see.

[@hprev]

I experienced this north of Vancouver! It was one of the most beautiful things, they luminesce more if you skip a stone or toss a pebble in!

[@TrekkieBrie]

When I was in the navy I used to go to the fantail every night and watch the water behind the ship glow from bioluminescents. Between that and the stars, nights on the ocean can be amazing.

[@therealpixie]

I've been privileged to play in bioluminescence on several occasions at both Topsail and Ocracoke Islands in North Carolina. Once there were even bioluminescent sand crabs! It is truly a magical experience.

[@38josue91]

Lucky here! We have 3 permanent Bioluminescent bays here in PR. Also experienced a Bioluminescent bloom in Railay Beach in Thailand.

[@mattemattemattematte]

PR?

[@kafn0912]

Vieques, Lajas and Fajardo....if someone is interested...Ours are the safe ones so come on down...they wont hurt you!

[@mattemattemattematte]

@@kafn0912 is it all year around or is it a specific month where you can se it? I would love to visit and see it!

[@kafn0912]

@@mattemattemattematte yes it is all year round...

[@ordinarynocturne]

Yes, I visited one many years ago. I can't remember which one, however, it was near a town called La Parguera (sp?) on the southern coast. We went out on a small boat and watched it around us. It was awesome. I wish I had had a better camera that was able to get photos of it, but at least I have the memory.

[@adlockhungry304]

Saw this in bays in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand in ‘98-99, and also in the wake of fishing vessels in Alaska, particularly in the Fall. So awesome! Especially when the porpoises start dancing in it, making their own bioluminescent trails!!!

[@mikepierson7447]

Dinoflagellates sounds like science jargon for dinosaur farts

[@willalogicalwf]

My first open water night dive was on Grand Cayman and waving your hand through the water created a magical streak of sparkles. Dive master said in his 25 years he had never seen it like this before

[@CrankyPantss]

That looks beautiful. I would like to see that some day. Nature can be so crazy.

[@r21167]

I saw this in the Netherlands once. I never even knew it was a thing and this woman who lived near the beach told us about the sea lighting up. When we were there it was just a little bit of spark when you wade through the water, but still magical. If you’re near water after a very hot and humid day, and it’s still very hot after total dawn, i I recommend to check out the water!

[@RangerRuby]

I did not know about this before this video but boy I want to see a light up ocean now!

[@galenrichter41]

how long can they give off light? in one clip you show someone with them in a flask and giving them a little spin to make them give off light. if you kept doing that, would they be able to keep making light for a long time, or would they run out of the compounds to make the reaction really quickly?

[@snowwonder9814]

I liked the bedtime clothing/tired theme for the video; gave me a chuckle.

[@in2webelieve997]

I literally just saw this in Oahu. There weren't very many of them, but it was still really cool.

[@davidg.3664]

What an awesome video, release more like this!!!

[@ziqi92]

Saw this phenomenon in San Diego, CA back in...Fall of 2012 I think? It was gorgeous.

[@XIIIHero]

After my senior year of high school, I got to Go do charity work in Puerto Rico and see the Bioluminescent Bay there before Hurricane Maire Happened... I feel very lucky!

[@TheSentientCloud]

I'm just picturing swimming in a bioluminescent bay and having the Tetris Effect soundtrack on that'd be so ethereal.

[@MsMorganThorne]

I got to see this (and swim in the water) just outside of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, Mexico. It was a little scary to be out in a lagoon, pitch black and have our guide say "jump out of the boat!" Glad I did, though, it was absolutely magical!

[@JeremyWS]

neat. I want to see that in person someday.

[@raifariza1043]

Come to Maldives! Happens almost every night!

[@JeremyWS]

Visiting the Maldives is actually on my bucket list.

[@raifariza1043]

@@JeremyWS Hope you get to come by soon.

[@jennysspiceoflife8581]

Professional explanations!

[@misschief4283]

We get this in Wales sometimes, it happened this year and a few years back, it's stunning :)

[@furpurse9543]

Momorangi bay New Zealand has them but it’s dim, The best way to see it there is by doing a night kayak you can see your own kayak Wake as well as the glowing water on your paddles and watching the fish swim through it Below

[@petrichor9417]

I saw sea sparkle once in the north sea... it was beautiful ^^

[@PrimitiveTim]

This shows up in florida every summer in le coastal lagoons. It's amazing so go see it!

[@johngarvey3598]

We also have this in Ireland. In Kenmare Bay. Recently went night Kayaking there and it was amazing.

[@jkg6211]

We have it here every year in Indian River/Mosquito Lagoons in east central Florida. It's like something out of the movie "Avitar".

[@urmorph]

I observed bioluminesence in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, in July, many years ago. I don't know if it common there, as I have not returned since. Very nice video, but watch the pronunciation of "heterotrophic" -- that's "ph" at the end, not "p". The first is from Greek "trophein", to nourish or feed, and the second from Greek "tropein", to turn, as in "heliotropic", meaning to turn towards the sun. The opposite of a heterotroph is autotroph, which is sung correctly by Bare Naked Ladies before every episode of "The Big Bang Theory." The autotrophs began to drool oxygen, in case you were wondering--the first atmospheric pollutant, depending on your point of view.

[@christelheadington1136]

Hallelujah! I've been trying to find out what that line meant as long as I've been watching TBBT.Thank you,thank you.thank you!

[@rickoleary7060]

Welcome back!!! Sci show wasn't the same

[@drakencorin]

This happens every year for a couple of weeks in the little town in Japan where I live :-)

[@lior1299]

I read that thumbnail all wrong

[@edgardoalonso5068]

Dude my heart skipped a beat when I saw it

[@heycharliemot]

Me too, this would be a totally different video

[@mattcossey]

Glad to know I’m not alone lol

[@memeswiper]

I read boys instead of bays

[@anevenbluerjay]

There's a mild version of this that happens in the Puget Sound. If you go kayaking at night, you can see your trail in the water.

[@RiggingDoctor]

One windless night when we were sailing across the Atlantic, we saw a bioluminescence that responded to light instead of touch. We would shine a torch into the water and they would glow for a few seconds. Any idea what species it might have been? They extended from the surface down to about 60 feet deep. Thanks!

[@KaySTeal4434]

Glad they touched on the delicate cycle of these guys. Too many of these dinoflagellates can cause harmful effects to the ocean's wildlife and accumulate toxic levels of NH4 in the waters. Their growth is currently stimulated by drastic changes in climate change and they are being found in uncommon areas causing increase in risk for dead zones.

[@AxelLeJeff]

When Pismo Beach experiences red tide, this is visible, and walking on the sand causes your shoeprints to light up. (If you go barefoot, it could irritate your skin)

[@jliller]

Bioluminescent Dinoflagellants would be an excellent name for a band.

[@Bambi_Sapphic]

The north pine river in south east Queensland that is down the street from where I live does this every autumn and spring when the water quality is good.

[@Kamodomon]

Everyone that presents for this channel has amazing pronunciation, as far as I can tell. I know they have multiple takes, but damn!

[@turdl38]

Is there a tiny scishow hostlet yet Olivia?

[@liem11]

Got to go kayaking in one in Florida. It was amazing.

[@lucianomacias1589]

Un Cartagena, Colombia I saw them once in a type of lagoon while traveling exploring islands

[@aleksanderskobe7010]

I was swimming in that... so cool

[@wyllomygreene7700]

"...to help them escape predators like Coco Puffs" (rewinds) oh. I need chocolate

[@Azzarinne]

+

[@celinak5062]

+ lol

[@askjeevescosby2928]

We need to bio engineer this into trees. Imagine roads lined with glowing trees.

[@AdamShaiken]

On Snell Isle in St. Petersburg, Fl the dinoflagellates produce a green glow.

[@DRODRIGUEZMARK]

Hola, Im from Puerto Rico and im a tour guide at turtle bay and I always have seen it green

[@KiaraWilliamsX]

Well I’m scared, should I go in or not???

[@KnightSlasher]

The glow in the depths below

[@PrettyMuchPhysics]

Looks like ghosts swimming in the water :P

[@vladmihaivarga4487]

i've seen them in Sulina, Romania . The water started to glow if you stired it.

[@buknono1984]

I experienced this at a local beach in Melbourne Victoria Australia in summer once. Was amazing but it was green in colour not blue. What does that mean if it was green?

[@plursocks]

Actually, the second to last bioluminescent bay you showed wasn't due to dinoflagellates but due to Firefly squid. That's Toyama Bay in Japan.

[@NOAHCASAS]

IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IT THE ORANGE. COUNTY. AREA OF CALIFORNIA WHAT AN AMAZING SITE TO SEE 💙

[@FiMilton]

I got to swim with them in Jamaica. It was an amazing experience.

[@AkleshKumar-pg1nz]

Anyone from Maldives? Please tell me when this can be witnessed and where? Seriously, I will plan my trip from India only to watch this. Please let me know.

[@culwin]

They call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call me Noctiluca Scintillans

[@RPostVideos]

Fun fact: We have this on the Space Coast of Florida.

[@manasnaik1819]

I leave in costal region in South India and from past few days I can see this in sea

[@nisar_ahemad_45]

In udupi Malpe Beach

[@iwanttomake9262]

thats here in jamaica!!! wow didnt know

[@meldafert7619]

I have a question: Why does pumpkin seed oil look red in the bottle, but green in the salad?

[@phatphracker]

You might want to consider asking the US Navy Submarine Force element located in Yokosuka, Japan to film and release to the public how a submarine conducting a low-pressure blow in the harbor there can activate the bio-luminescent organisms so dramatically that it makes entire lochs of the harbor shine purple. It's not a permanent feature of the harbor but it's common enough they could plan on capturing it to support scientific public interest efforts like SciShow. www.csp.navy.mil/csg7/Contact-Us/

[@shamalk]

I can't believe why scientists are still figuring out how they produce light. The technology is so far ahead and what is stopping them from observing these organisms in a lab and figuring out how?

[@melissawickersham9912]

This is why you should be very careful when eating fish and shellfish straight from the fisheries.

[@22vx]

I'm flatulent. So can I make jacuzzi water glow?

[@brickbunny9686]

I WANT THOSE IN MY BACKYARD! It would be cool for Christmas! xD And anyone wanting too rob my house would regret it later. heeheeheeheehee

[@PauloHenrique-bx7ft]

is there an experiment that they rotate those things iincredible fast and non-stop in order to see what happens?

[@stromagedon]

I live in Canada on the west coast and the estuary that runs through my city is home to a small population of these bioluminescent little guys they don't light up as storngly as the videos so many people aren't aware of them

[@ashlynkmiles]

Hey, I live on the island as well and I’ve always wanted to see them! Whereabouts are you if you don’t mind me asking?

[@officialalaskan3439]

I've seen these in Alaska. If they need warm water how are they up there?

[@y11971alex]

Protists deserve more attention. Choanoflagellates are sister to animals.

[@LN031]

Where can I go if I want to experience it?

[@lostcolonyforge5792]

This happens in my area I believe every couple of decades only seen it once I’m 15

[@NostalgiaChubby]

actually, we have a bay like that on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia...not exactly a warm location

[@omnipotentfish]

blue light has a short wave length and thus has a high energy,how can a single cell organism can emit such a costly photon? why not emit a low energy photon instead (green,red...)? i wonder how much power (watts) it can produce and how efficient it is if you take into account the input energy source (plankton??)?

[@JCFan-mt4sh]

You can finds this in Don't Starve Shipwreck

[@SamuraiJACsr]

I just hear "Dino farts"... Heh heh heh. Dino flatulence

[@tommyiturra9586]

Nice!

[@zeath_zolaries3508]

I am not gonna touch it...no matter what

[@craigcorson3036]

At 2:22 - You should know that in biology, there are no sacks. There are sacs, no 'K'.

[@electronicsNmore]

Are you sure people aren't going out there at night dumping barrels of radioactive waste? :-) It's been done before.

[@ixeroi]

Ooohhhh its Glowing Bays.... you do not want to know how I read that!!

[@Dragrath1]

A bit disappointing to see protists still being used but at least you mentioned it is a lump category remember that plants fungi and animals are all descended from "protists" and thus cladistically would have to be considered protists too!. It is worth mentioning that the term for creatures that both photosynthesize and eat is mixotrophs. Predatory dinoflagulates including those that cause red tides eat for similar reasons as Venus flytraps in this case emitting powerful toxins into their environment poisoning competition and liberating the nutrients from the unfortunate victims to fertilize their own photosynthesis. Mixotrophs are quite common among photosynthetic plankton as nutrients at the water surface are unreliable and typically quite scarce coming in boom bust cycles. These nutrient limits especially in the open ocean prevent most phytoplankton from being able to readily photosynthesize most of the time which leads to a very harsh life where in order to grow most of the time if you want to photosynthisize you got to kill for those resources all while trying to avoid getting eaten.

[@FBIJim]

God: oh sorry I left the pool light on

[@naveend5468]

It happens in Mangalore

[@europegirllostincalifornia6032]

This is happening now in California

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

Sea Sparkle I imagine that must be a character on My Little Pony right? :P

[@robertjarman3703]

Could humans be made to be bioluminescent?

[@Shaqiliciouss]

I think it should be possible. Some of my fellow biomedical students are researching methods of image-guided surgery in which they get GFP to bind with tumor cells to make all the cancerous tissue illuminate green, so if they can get cancerous tissue to glow, I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to make skin tissue glow. But then again I could be all wrong

[@HellebrandCuriosity]

We are, we emit infrared light.

[@MandrakeFernflower]

Possible? yes Ethical and legal? No

[@aPlatyperson]

Robert Jarman technically yes we have made some animals glow with gene editing and could be done to humans Realistically no people tend to get crazy about the ethics of gene editing

[@eclipse5393]

@@MandrakeFernflower Why wouldn't it be ethical or legal? That's stupid. People already alter their genes.

[@sasak369]

Hope Olivia's alright! I got the feeling she wasn't doing so well - I hope it's just me.

[@thomdilling5855]

She's preggers!

[@Jop_pop]

"Dino flatulence"

[@akamemurasame4691]

Dino flatulence, got it

[@anibee7797]

In mangalore its happening now

[@michselholiday9046]

I didn't know Dino farts glowed blue