Michelle McKeown: Shedding light on the wild world of bioluminescence

The glow in Lough Hyne comes courtesy of dinoflagellates (tiny, single-celled plankton) floating near the surface of the water. When disturbed, they emit a flash of light, usually bluish green, in a rapid chemical reaction involving the molecules luciferin and luciferase

Bioluminescent waves illuminating the shoreline

On certain calm summer nights in West Cork, something remarkable happens beneath the surface of Lough Hyne. As paddles cut through the water or fish dart below, the dark lake bursts into shimmering streaks of blue-green light. This dazzling glow isn’t a trick of the moon or a trick of the eye.

It’s bioluminescence — the ability of living organisms to produce their own light. While it feels magical, it’s the result of a finely tuned natural chemical reaction, and it’s just one example of how widespread, and surprisingly practical, this glowing phenomenon is across the natural world.