a peek inside the fishbowl

One of our favourite places to camp is at an Ontario Parks site called Charleston Lake. We’ve been there five or six times. The beach was great, there were some nice hiking trails, good rock collecting, and the park was very well maintained. One of the things that stands out in my mind is that the park was full of fireflies. The girls were entranced, and rightly so. Fireflies are a truly magical sight; tiny lights hovering and flickering in the darkness. One night a firefly got stuck in our tent, and we all watched it blink and float over our heads as we fell asleep. I’ve never forgotten that.

I was at a media preview yesterday for the Museum of Nature’s new exhibition called Creatures of Night: Nature’s Bioluminescence. Finally, the science behind fireflies is explained, and in a way that is clear, fun, and friendly for budding scientists (myself included)! Of course, this exhibition is about a lot more than fireflies. Another highlight: Flashlight Fish. I’d never heard of them before, have you?

Imagine a fish tank – in the dark – and this is what you see:

These are live Spitlin flashlight fish (Anomalops katoptron) on display in the exhibition. In this photograph, they appear as streaks of light. (Photo © Canadian Museum of Nature)

Here’s a closeup:

Flashlight fish harbour bioluminescent bacteria in an organ under their eyes and use the light produced by the bacteria to communicate, avoid predators, and to attract prey. (Photo ©FMNH L. Smith and AMNH J. Sparks)

Science is SO cool.

I should mention that the whole exhibition is almost entirely lit with black lights, so wear white and enjoy your own personal glow-in-the-dark experience! For more info about this exhibition, check out this page on the Museum of Nature website.