Bioluminescent fish

When most people find out what bioluminescence is, the first thing they associate it with is firefly butts, but the world has way more interesting life with built-in flashlights than beetles that use it to get nookie. And while we may not have glowing redwoods like Pandora, we do have the following. 10. Bioluminescent Fungus If you’re like me, the word “mushroom” conjures up things like pizza and Mario power ups, but it turns out there are a few species that glow in the dark. The ones…

From tracking a giant squid to decoding jellyfish alarms in the Gulf, a depth-defying scientist plunges under the sea

Set against the stark backdrops attainable only during blackwater dives, larval fish become strange, otherworldly specimens with glasslike bodies and translucent fins that billow outward. Their delicate, still-developing anatomies are the subjects of Steven Kovacs’s underwater photos, which frame the young creatures at such precarious stages of life.

These captivating animals will be featured in an upcoming Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibit. View must-see photos and videos.