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BIOLUMINESCENCE in the heart of Ballinskelligs, Southwest Kerry, Ireland.

A natural phenomenon lights up the water of Ballinskelligs Beach, making the sea shine with a surreal blue light.

The surreal scene arises not from magic, but from plankton that have evolved to glow in order to startle or distract fish and other potential predators. Some scientists call it the “burglar alarm effect”: by lighting up, the plankton draw even larger predators that, in turn, eat the animal threatening them. The phosphorescence only occurs when the microorganisms, which exist worldwide, are agitated – such as when the water crashes onto the shore, someone steps on the wet sand or a paddle hits the waves.
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www.MadeleineMariaWeber.com
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www.MadeleineMariaWeber.com
Contained in galleries
Ring of Kerry | Horizontal, Ballinskelligs, Bioluminescence, Portfolio
BIOLUMINESCENCE in the heart of Ballinskelligs, Southwest Kerry, Ireland. <br />
<br />
A natural phenomenon lights up the water of Ballinskelligs Beach, making the sea shine with a surreal blue light.<br />
<br />
The surreal scene arises not from magic, but from plankton that have evolved to glow in order to startle or distract fish and other potential predators. Some scientists call it the “burglar alarm effect”: by lighting up, the plankton draw even larger predators that, in turn, eat the animal threatening them. The phosphorescence only occurs when the microorganisms, which exist worldwide, are agitated – such as when the water crashes onto the shore, someone steps on the wet sand or a paddle hits the waves.