What is causing the waves in California to glow?
Glowing waves in California are attracting surfers and kayakers. What is causing this eerie, otherworldly phenomenon?A recent report by Discovery News has provided an answer. According to marine biologist Jorge Ribas, the glowing is caused by a massive red tide, or algae bloom, of bioluminescent phytoplankton called Lingulodinium polyedrum. The microorganisms emit light in response to stress, such as when a wave crashes into the shore, a surfboard slashes through the surf, or a kayaker’s paddle splashes the water. The result is a wickedly cool glowing ocean.
At first I thought this would be a Bioluminescent Plankton similar to the ones which are seen in the waterways around Florida(and elsewhere), but boy was I wrong here. At least algal blooms are mostly natural phenomena as seems to be the case here.
(via daily-beautiful-pics)
