Imagine if your nose lit up like a fl ashlight when you walked into a dark room. Or your whole body fl ashed on and off when you crossed the street. Your body can’t light up. But some animals’ bodies can. These animals can make their own light. This process is called bioluminescence. Over time, they’ve developed this ability as an adaptation. It helps them survive in the wild. Some creatures use light to signal


to one another. Others use light to search for and lure prey. Still others use light to scare away predators. Let’s take a look at how it works.


The lights from tiny fi refl ies fl icker on and off in this meadow.


Living Lights Have you ever seen a firefly light up? T ese winged beetles can make a summer night sparkle. In some woodlands, you might see another kind of light. T is one comes from a fungus called foxfire. Foxfire lives on fallen logs. At night, it glows green. About 65 species of fungi can glow. If you want to see more light, take a


dive. You’ll find more glowing animals deep in the ocean. Scientists say that 80 to 90 percent of deepwater life can produce light. Some shine their light continuously. Others flash their light in short bursts.


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