Marine biologists working in the Solomon Islands, in the south Pacific Ocean, captured video footage of a sea turtle exhibiting bioflourescence—glowing in the dark—the first reptile science has identified that exhibits the trait.
David Gruber, a scientist with the City University of New York, was in the Solomon Islands in July conducting research on bioflourescence in sharks and coral reefs, species in which it has been observed previously, National Geographic reports. Bioflourescence, in which an animal reflects the blue light of the ocean as a different color, is different from bioluminescence, in which an animal emits light through chemical reactions.
Gruber was running a camera outfitted with special technology to pick up bioflourescence when the turtle swam into view.
See Portrait Photographs of Shelter Dogs
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
- What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
Contact us at letters@time.com