/oss/taxonomy/term/6399/all en /oss/article/student-contributors-environment-did-you-know/mystery-milky-seas <p>Imagine sailing through a pitch-black ocean night, only to find the waters around you glowing eerily like a vast field of snow. This enchanting phenomenon, known as milky seas or mareel, has both baffled and mesmerized sailors for centuries. These rare events, occurring roughly zero to two times a year globally, are a spectacular display of bioluminescence that turns the sea into a surreal, glowing expanse.</p> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:31:17 +0000 Hosna Akhgary 10022 at /oss /oss/article/environment-general-science/luciferin-and-gfp-fluorescent-chemicals-used-insects-sea-creatures-and-humans <p>Eons ago in a remote village in China, a promising young lad was studying for the almighty civil service registry exam. His parents were too poor to afford an oil-burning lamp so that he could read at night. One evening, the lad noticed some bugs that glowed in the darkness as they danced in and out of the tall grass. He had an idea! He captured several dozen, sealed them in a thin white silky bag, and hung the bag on a small tree. Thanks to the luminescent bugs, the boy was able to hit the books well into the night. He passed the exams with flying colors.</p> Fri, 12 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000 Ada McVean, BSc & Nancy Liu-Sullivan, Ph.D 9200 at /oss