Glowing Ocean Waves Explained

Here’s a nature fact that looks like science fiction. Some ocean waves actually glow in

the dark. The glow comes from tiny living organisms called bioluminescent plankton,

also known as dinoflagellates. When the water moves — by waves, footsteps, or swimming — the

plankton release light as part of a chemical reaction inside their cells. Scientists think

the glow may help protect them by startling predators or drawing attention to the predators

that disturb them. These glowing waves appear in places like Puerto Rico, California,

Australia, and the Maldives — but only under the right conditions.