the first fish that we found to be biofluorescent was a small eel and it
biofluorescent was a small eel and it
biofluorescent was a small eel and it was in night time were diving off of the
was in night time were diving off of the
was in night time were diving off of the Bloody Bay wall in on a little Cayman
Bloody Bay wall in on a little Cayman
Bloody Bay wall in on a little Cayman Island in the process of finding it we
Island in the process of finding it we
Island in the process of finding it we started to find wait a minute here’s
started to find wait a minute here’s
started to find wait a minute here’s another fish that’s fluorescent here’s
another fish that’s fluorescent here’s
another fish that’s fluorescent here’s another fish here’s a stingray that was
another fish here’s a stingray that was
another fish here’s a stingray that was also fluorescent so this just sent us
also fluorescent so this just sent us
also fluorescent so this just sent us off being like wait a second this isn’t
off being like wait a second this isn’t
off being like wait a second this isn’t exactly a rare occurrence then we went
exactly a rare occurrence then we went
exactly a rare occurrence then we went to the the Solomon Islands in the summer
to the the Solomon Islands in the summer
to the the Solomon Islands in the summer of 2012 and that’s that’s where we found
of 2012 and that’s that’s where we found
of 2012 and that’s that’s where we found the core of our fluorescent fish this is
the core of our fluorescent fish this is
the core of our fluorescent fish this is one of the places with the Coral
one of the places with the Coral
one of the places with the Coral Triangle which has some of the most
Triangle which has some of the most
Triangle which has some of the most abundant marine diversity on the planet
abundant marine diversity on the planet
abundant marine diversity on the planet we started to see that this is this is
we started to see that this is this is
we started to see that this is this is something that extends beyond the bony
something that extends beyond the bony
something that extends beyond the bony fish and it goes into the car delicious
fish and it goes into the car delicious
fish and it goes into the car delicious fish into the Rays maybe it’ll also be
fish into the Rays maybe it’ll also be
fish into the Rays maybe it’ll also be in sharks so we started to go down when
in sharks so we started to go down when
in sharks so we started to go down when we were in the Solomon Islands we were
we were in the Solomon Islands we were
we were in the Solomon Islands we were trying to get the Sharks close enough
trying to get the Sharks close enough
trying to get the Sharks close enough that we could film them and we also went
that we could film them and we also went
that we could film them and we also went to a series of aquariums and it turns
to a series of aquariums and it turns
to a series of aquariums and it turns out that these some of the smaller
out that these some of the smaller
out that these some of the smaller sharks the the cat sharks are
sharks the the cat sharks are
sharks the the cat sharks are brilliantly fluorescent as bright as
brilliantly fluorescent as bright as
brilliantly fluorescent as bright as some of the brightest fish as bright as
some of the brightest fish as bright as
some of the brightest fish as bright as the corals when you see the images when
the corals when you see the images when
the corals when you see the images when you see it’s all over it’s in their eyes
you see it’s all over it’s in their eyes
you see it’s all over it’s in their eyes it’s um it’s down their skin this is
it’s um it’s down their skin this is
it’s um it’s down their skin this is making me think that it’s something
making me think that it’s something
making me think that it’s something that’s important physiologically for
that’s important physiologically for
that’s important physiologically for this animal and we at this moment we do
this animal and we at this moment we do
this animal and we at this moment we do not know what the function is so in
not know what the function is so in
not know what the function is so in order to see the phenomena
order to see the phenomena
order to see the phenomena biofluorescence we use scientific
biofluorescence we use scientific
biofluorescence we use scientific filters and we created the same pure
filters and we created the same pure
filters and we created the same pure blue a very tight notch blue filter and
blue a very tight notch blue filter and
blue a very tight notch blue filter and then that is the light that’s always
then that is the light that’s always
then that is the light that’s always bathing these animals they live in a
bathing these animals they live in a
bathing these animals they live in a blue world the world is blue all the
blue world the world is blue all the
blue world the world is blue all the time and we did this we recreate the
time and we did this we recreate the
time and we did this we recreate the blue light but then when we film it we
blue light but then when we film it we
blue light but then when we film it we don’t want to see the blue light we just
don’t want to see the blue light we just
don’t want to see the blue light we just want to see the light that’s getting
want to see the light that’s getting
want to see the light that’s getting absorbed by these animals and is coming
absorbed by these animals and is coming
absorbed by these animals and is coming back off so we have a yellow filter that
back off so we have a yellow filter that
back off so we have a yellow filter that we put in front of our camera lens and
we put in front of our camera lens and
we put in front of our camera lens and that only allows us to see the
that only allows us to see the
that only allows us to see the fluorescence the Reds the greens that
fluorescence the Reds the greens that
fluorescence the Reds the greens that are coming off the animal
so what’s next
so what’s next can the fish see this is this playing a
can the fish see this is this playing a
can the fish see this is this playing a role in their behavior I’m really
role in their behavior I’m really
role in their behavior I’m really interested at the protein level we
interested at the protein level we
interested at the protein level we identified over 180 species in the
identified over 180 species in the
identified over 180 species in the single paper that there’s opened up more
single paper that there’s opened up more
single paper that there’s opened up more questions some that were we’re really
questions some that were we’re really
questions some that were we’re really excited to start digging into I just
excited to start digging into I just
excited to start digging into I just find this real serenity and beauty to
find this real serenity and beauty to
find this real serenity and beauty to being in the reef at night and now when
being in the reef at night and now when
being in the reef at night and now when we add on this kind of fluorescent layer
we add on this kind of fluorescent layer
we add on this kind of fluorescent layer it’s like being on another planet you
it’s like being on another planet you
it’s like being on another planet you know you’re on some surreal Martian
know you’re on some surreal Martian
know you’re on some surreal Martian landscape
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