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Enzymatic oxidation of luciferin produces efficient cold light in living organisms. The figure is taken from NOAA, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Bioluminescence generates light without losing energy to heat

Enzymatic oxidation of luciferin produces efficient cold light in living organisms

Bioluminescence is the emission of light by living organisms through chemical reactions inside specialized cells. The enzyme luciferase catalyses the oxidation of a pigment molecule called luciferin, releasing energy almost entirely as visible light photons with less than 20 percent lost as heat. Fireflies, deep-sea fish, and jellyfish use bioluminescence for camouflage and communication.

Where this comes from

NOAA

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Tags: biology, bioluminescence, light

Bioluminescence generates light without losing energy to heat: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Enzymatic oxidation of luciferin produces efficient cold light in living organisms. The figure is taken from NOAA, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a science fact?: Yes. It sits on the Science shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.