New research reveals that deep-sea corals may have been the first animals to emit light, dating back an astonishing 540 million years. This discovery pushes back the previous record for bioluminescence’s origins by nearly 300 million years. The study suggests that the ability to produce light through chemical reactions evolved independently at least 94 times in nature, serving various purposes such as camouflage, courtship, communication, and hunting.
Bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to emit light through chemical reactions, has been discovered to have originated in animals at least 540 million years ago, according to a new scientific study. This finding, based on research on ancient marine invertebrates known as octocorals, significantly predates the previously established oldest known occurrence of bioluminescence by around 300 million years. The study suggests that the common ancestor of all octocorals possessed the ability to bioluminesce. Experts remain uncertain about the initial evolutionary drivers of bioluminescence, but it is known to play a crucial role in various animal behaviors, including camouflage, mating, communication, and hunting.
New research indicates that bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to produce light through chemical reactions, originated in animals at least 540 million years ago. This finding, based on an investigation of octocorals, an ancient group of marine invertebrates, predates the previous oldest known instance of the trait by nearly 300 million years. Experts believe bioluminescence has evolved independently at least 94 times in nature and serves various functions, including camouflage, courtship, communication, and hunting.
A groundbreaking study has uncovered the earliest known example of bioluminescence, the captivating natural phenomenon where living organisms emit light. Researchers have traced the origins of this mesmerizing ability to the soft, branching octocorals that graced the oceans a staggering 540 million years ago. This discovery revolutionizes our understanding of life’s early evolution and the intricate relationship between light and marine creatures.
