8 of 8 results for "bioluminescence"
Video
Bioluminescence and Jungle Predators

In Bioluminescence and Jungle Predators, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the fascinating world of bioluminescence in the jungle. The video showcases how glowing fungi lure insects and how the railroad worm uses its colorful glow to hunt in the dark. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth II, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.

Student Article
Why Do Some Animals Glow? The Amazing Science of Bioluminescence
The article "Why Do Some Animals Glow? The Amazing Science of Bioluminescence" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains how animals like glow-worms, squid, and fireflies produce light using special chemicals. It explores the role of luciferins and luciferase, the different colors of glow, and how creatures use this glow for communication, hunting, or self-defense.
Video
The Beauty of Stormy Seas

In The Beauty of Stormy Seas, narrator Sir David Attenborough uncovers the extraordinary sight of bioluminescent plankton that light up dark waters as sea life thrives with the change of seasons. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

Video
Navigating the Dark Depths of the Ocean

In Navigating the Dark Depths of the Ocean, narrator David Attenborough highlights the deep ocean, where no sunlight reaches, and animals have adapted to survive in total darkness with minimal food. The Dumbo octopus glides effortlessly through the water, conserving energy. The vampire squid uses bioluminescent bacteria to create light patterns that confuse predators. In this extreme environment, creatures must rely on special adaptations to detect food, avoid danger, and navigate the dark depths. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.

Playlist (10 resources)
The Bizarre Bugs Playlist

Discover the amazing hunting techniques of cave glow worms, witness the transformation of lake fly midges, and delve into the mysteries of bioluminescence in the jungle night. Prepare for a close-up look at the miniature marvels all around us!

Video
The Deep Sea Anglerfish

In The Deep Sea Anglerfish, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how the anglerfish captures prey. Watch how the anglerfish uses light and learn how that light is created. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.

Video
Lights in the Deep Sea

In Lights in the Deep Sea, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how animals in the deep sea use light. Watch animals use light to catch prey and escape predators. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.

Video
Strange Creatures at 500 Meters Below

In Strange Creatures at 500 Meters Below, narrator David Attenborough explains how plankton retreats into the ocean depths as the Sun rises. To follow it, we descend in a submarine where pressure increases, and temperatures drop. At 500 meters (1,640 feet) below, strange creatures emerge. Organic particles, known as marine snow, drift down, serving as food for many animals like the sea spider, which uses feathered leg-like appendages to capture it. Meanwhile, the sawtooth eel waits motionless, ready to strike at silhouetted prey swimming near the faint glow from the surface. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.