Beyond the Deep Blue: 540 Million Years of Bioluminescence in Deep-Sea Corals

A recent study by scientists at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has revealed that bioluminescence, the ability of organisms to produce light through chemical reactions, may have originated 540 million years ago in deep-sea corals. This discovery challenges previous beliefs about the timeline of bioluminescence and suggests that marine invertebrates were the first animals to exhibit this ability, appearing much earlier than previously thought.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, sheds light on the evolution of bioluminescence. Researchers Andrea Quattrini and Danielle DeLeo, along with expert Catherine McFadden, created an evolutionary map of eight-chambered corals, one of the oldest groups of animals that can bioluminesce. By analyzing data from 185 species and utilizing fossil dating, they concluded that the common ancestor of eight-chambered corals was likely bioluminescent around 540 million years ago.

This finding suggests that bioluminescence has played a significant role in the success of eight-chambered corals over millions of years. The researchers suggest that bioluminescence may have been one of the earliest forms of communication on Earth, particularly in deep-sea environments. This discovery provides new insights into the importance of bioluminescence in the natural world and highlights its role in communication and survival among various species.