Crowds flock to Southern California beach to witness bioluminescent waves

Beachgoers in Newport Beach were in awe Saturday night as bioluminescent waves came crashing onto shore. (Oct. 13, 2024)

KTLA 5 News - Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

[cherylrleigh]

Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some bioluminescent bacteria, and terrestrial arthropods such as fireflies. In some animals, the light is bacteriogenic, produced by symbiotic bacteria such as those from the genus Vibrio; in others, it is autogenic, produced by the animals themselves.

In a general sense, the principal chemical reaction in bioluminescence involves a light-emitting molecule and an enzyme, generally called luciferin and luciferase, respectively. Because these are generic names, luciferins and luciferases are often distinguished by the species or group, e.g. firefly luciferin. In all characterized cases, the enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of the luciferin.

In some species, the luciferase requires other cofactors, such as calcium or magnesium ions, and sometimes also the energy-carrying molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In evolution, luciferins vary little: one in particular, coelenterazine, is found in 11 different animal phyla, though in some of these, the animals obtain it through their diet. Conversely, luciferases vary widely between different species. Bioluminescence has arisen over 40 times in evolutionary history.

Both Aristotle and Pliny the Elder mentioned that damp wood sometimes gives off a glow. Many centuries later Robert Boyle showed that oxygen was involved in the process, in both wood and glowworms. It was not until the late nineteenth century that bioluminescence was properly investigated. The phenomenon is widely distributed among animal groups, especially in marine environments. On land it occurs in fungi, bacteria and some groups of invertebrates, including insects.

The uses of bioluminescence by animals include counterillumination camouflage, mimicry of other animals, for example to lure prey, and signaling to other individuals of the same species, such as to attract mates. In the laboratory, luciferase-based systems are used in genetic engineering and biomedical research. Researchers are also investigating the possibility of using bioluminescent systems for street and decorative lighting, and a bioluminescent plant has been created. Source Wikipedia

[robbienayuh]

Damn that girl is RUTHLESS 😂. “Ask lauren on a date she’ll go” and she married lolol

[HyprHotshot]

Someone tell Lauren’s husband to check her phone lmfao

[philbalon]

I saw this in my cocktail last night ! 😎

[Guessaga]

Anyone know if it’ll be like this tonight??

[anthonystratton]

While this is going on go to a marina with sardines or anchovies. Watch for the mackerel to come and chase the 'chovies. THAT IS SPECTACULAR!! Like fireworks in the water with dayglo.

[RFToob]

Saw this once when staying in Coronado - it is really pretty cool. I had planned to propose to my wife and did so right there with all the glowing plankton….a magic moment.

[boblatkey]

My favorite video is people on a boat when a humpback whale swims alongside the boat with swirls of bioluminescence coming off of its tail.

[Bluelightning]

Magic and nature are two different things.

[larry-ofkh]

Red tide in long beach ca too so cool 😎 the beauty side of this crazy world

[COWBOYBARNMAN]

I've seen this in Florida but I remember it was a lime green color.

[ahoward]

Must be a slow news day. It's on a local news channel. If you live in Socal and haven't seen it where have you been?

[singingpretty]

We used to go down to Venice Beach in the 70s. Unforgettable!

[marsEv]

Blue, yellow, pink; whatever man just keep bringing that!

[SeanTheDon-vjkw]

Stoner #1: "Duuuude, check out those waves! They like, glow in the dark, maaan!"

Stoner #2: "WHOOOOA!!" 😮‍💨

[DemarRandySHOW]

She didn’t say she wasn’t interested in going on a date 😂

[chrisvalleqatsi]

STOP BABBLING - It's a one minute clip with at least 45 seconds of nonsense

[Coyote.]

That is totally cool!.. hopefully it's not nuclear waste..

[mkb]

14?!? “Really late at night so he was real smart”?!
Holy 💩!! I hope she doesn’t have a daughter.

[Mario-Loco]

14 yrs old I would've guessed that