How do fireflies produce light?

By Kit Chapman2023-06-20T05:33:00

A firefly flying at night with its abdomen glowing

Source: ©Ali Majdfar/Getty Images

Find out how fireflies and other creatures use bioluminescence

It’s fun to be a glow-worm, as a glow-worm’s never glum; how can you be unhappy when the sun shines out your bum? Bioluminescence, or the natural ability to produce light, is useful for a host of reasons in nature: to escape predators, mimic other species or attract a mate for instance. This can lead to some spectacular sights. Read the article and watch the TikTok to discover how creatures, such as fireflies, are able to fluoresce and even switch their lights on and off using biochemical reactions. Make cross-curricular links to biology and physics when explaining luciferin, luciferase enzymes, electromagnetic radiation and mimicry.

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