Next time an evening stroll takes you to the seashore, your wet footprints may surprise you by glowing in the dark! The phenomenon is also seen as shining blue-white surf or the luminous wake that boats create. Though many marine organisms have the ability to glow, along our shores,it's likely that the single-celled Noctiluca is responsible for your glowing footprints. The planktonic organism belongs to a group of protozoans known as dinoflagellates, a tongue-twister name derived from the Greek words for whirling and tail. Dino's, for short, are believed to be among the most ancient of living things, considered by those who study the origins of life to be the ancestral pool from which both plants and animals arose. Favorable ocean conditions occasionally allow Noctiluca to reach amazing densities. A handful of sea water may hold trillions- making them visible to the naked eye, and dazzling lucky observers with their subtle luminescence.
Written & Illustrated by Christine Elder
