The cold light of the firefly
Awake
In tropical and temperate regions, the firefly is
recognized by the flashing light it uses to attract a mate. Interestingly, the
firefly's light is superior to the incandescent and fluorescent light produced
by man. In fact, the next time you look at your electric bill, think of what
this small insect can do.
An incandescent light bulb emits only 10 percent of
its energy as light; the rest is basically wasted, discharged as heat. A
fluorescent bulb performs much better, emitting 90 percent of its energy as
light. But neither of these is a match for the firefly. With very few
ultraviolet or infrared rays, the light emitted by this insect is nearly 100
percent energy efficient.
The firefly's secret lies in the chemical reactions of
the substance luciferin, the enzyme luciferase, and oxygen. Special cells
called photocytes use luciferase to trigger this process, with oxygen as fuel.
The result is cold light--so named because it produces virtually no heat.
Horticultural and environmental educator Sandra Mason aptly remarked that light
bulb inventor Thomas Edison "must have been envious of fireflies."
What do you think? Did the cold light of the firefly
come about by chance, or was it designed?
