Bioluminescent Light Snow

Cultures of Pyrodinium bahamense, a species of bioluminescent microscopic algae, are kept in the laboratory at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute from individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon. Here, a sample is placed inside a petri dish over a speaker and photographed over a long exposure of 20 seconds to observe how vibrations from sound trigger their bioluminescence response. This is part of a research project that will allow us to learn more about the sparkling phenomenon.