I'm baffled over this

[Brywood]

Hi all,
Altough not all that important, it makes me go hmmmmmmmm. I was outside and saw a lightening bug flying around. Now how in the world can a bug make its body act as a light bulb?? It's quite remarkable to say the least. Can anyone give me the answer...lol

[hd581]

Dang, now you got me curious. Ok I looked it up: It's something called bioluminescence (a bunch of sea life have it too). Basically it's an organic chemical reaction which produces light among other things.

luciferyl adenylate-luciferase + O2 ->
oxyluciferin + luciferase + AMP + light

The bug controls the amount of oxygen flowing into that part of their body which turns it on and off like a light bulb.

The amazing thing is the efficiency. Almost 100% of the energy released is in the form of light. Light bulbs on the other hand release 10% of their energy as light and 90% as heat.

The article also hints that no one is absolutely sure what causes it, but that this is the most widely accepted explanation so far.

[This message has been edited by hd581 (edited 04-19-2000).]

[mudoggy]

Good thing it's effecient too, otherwise they'd end up cooking themselves!! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

The chemical reactions are similiar to those light sticks you can buy (crack em and shake em to combine the chemicals and they glow).

Fact: The firefly/lightning bug is the Pennsylvania state insect (I used to live there, and remember that whole state unit from fourth grade! If you like, I can fill you in on the tree, dog, motto, bird, flower, tree, flagship, but I forgot the dinosaur.. hahaha I need to go to bed..)

[Brywood]

Thats amazing,
I was thinking of some kind of bioluminescence material, only couldn't figure how it was turned on/off. thanks for your info, now I won't have to chase one around, put it in a jar and study it for hours...lol

mudoggy...go to bed http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[Hellmund]

If it's so efficient why don't they apply the same principle to light bulbs.

[U-96]

a) it wouldn't be bright enough to read by
b) you'd have to feed them

A similar principle is already in those green lightsticks used by the military, fishermen etc, but they only last a few minutes...