Glowing algae turn Australian lakes electric blue

Maggie Koerth 7:06 pm Mon Jul 19, 2010

shiny! .jpg

This time-lapse photo was taken in eastern Victoria, Australia, and features Noctiluca Scintillans, a type of algae that naturally produces a light-emitting chemical reaction. You can't see it during the day, but, at night, the algae glow electric blue, illuminating portions of the shoreline where wind pushed the blooms during the day.

Call it Mother Nature's little light-switch rave.

The backstory of this algae outbreak is every bit as interesting as the photos themselves. As told by photographer Phil Hart, this infestation of shiny is the direct result of (in this exact order) raging forest fires, massive floods and a potentially deadly outbreak of Cyanobacteria. Epic!

Check out Phil Hart's full gallery of Noctiluca Scintillans photos.

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