Where The Stars Fall

Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives

Bioluminescence, one of the most fascinating natural phenomena, can also be caused by tiny, microscopic, single-celled organisms. Dinoflagellates, possibly the most interesting of all phytoplankton groups, are called so because they have two flagellae which are thread-like appendages that help them swim. These microscopic creatures, like other phytoplankton, experience various bloom cycles. When abundant, these Dinoflagellate blooms can show themselves as red tides or as sea water speckled with bioluminescent dots reminiscent of a star filled sky on a clear night. So how do these unicellular organisms mimic the stars that are light-years away? Research has shown that their cells and cell membranes have special channels that allow only protons to go through. The movement of surrounding water creates electrical impulses that trigger or stimulate the proton channels to elicit a chemical reaction. An enzyme called Luciferase reacts with an oxygen-rich compound called Luciferin to form Oxyluciferin. This reaction produces that bright, captivating light that illuminates the Dinoflagellates. Large colonies of these bioluminescent organisms are found in warm water lagoons and can light up the entire beach, especially on windy nights as the phytoplankton get agitated by the movement of water. Dinoflagellates use their bioluminescence to defend themselves from their predators, fish. These organisms are toxic to fish and flash their lights as a warning to them to avoid being eaten. Sometimes this light attracts predators of the fish, like sperm whales, who feed on those fish that were tempted by the phytoplankton. People too take advantage of this bioluminescence to guide them. When a ship travels on water abundant in these Dinoflagellates, they leave behind a trail of luminescence. Aircraft carrier-based jet pilots have been known to use these trails to find their way back in the night. The multitude of these single-celled creatures, like large neon signs, guides the aircraft to the ships and to land. The sight of a million glowing dots in the ocean is one that words cannot express. No picture or movie can capture it.  The ocean is the only place on earth where you can see something as magical a glowing lagoon saturated with fallen stars that have not lost their brilliance. 

A Ship Leaving A Luminescent Blue Trail