The whale passing through a colony of algae.
Internet is full of amazing videos. From man-made technologies to natural occurrences, people have captured and uploaded clips that make users admire these wonders. And some of these videos, which are massively viral, are recirculated from time to time. One such video shows a whale "floating through space". Surprised? Well, the mammal is actually gliding through bioluminescent algae but the black and white scene makes it appear like space. The 30-second clip has been uploaded by Wonder of Science and is credited to Mike Nulty.
In the video, the algae are attached to the body of the whale and shine like stars. The same colony of micro-organisms has filled the tranquil water of the sea, making it appear like actual space.
The location where the video has been shot is not mentioned in the video. But the whale is seen very close to the person who is holding the camera.
The video has received more than one million views and nearly 79,000 likes. The clip was originally posted on Reddit and other social media platforms last year and was immensely popular.
According to National Geographic, bioluminescence is light produced by a chemical reaction within a living organism. It said that the phenomenon is also called "cold light", which means less than 20 per cent of the light generates thermal radiation, or heat.
Luciferin and photoprotein are the two chemicals required for bioluminescence. Some organisms like firefly and lanternfish produce different bioluminescent colours, which is due to the arrangement of luciferin molecules.
Most bioluminescent organisms are found in the ocean, said National Geographic. These marine species include fish, bacteria, and jellies. Some bioluminescent organisms, including fireflies and fungi, are found on land. There are almost no bioluminescent organisms native to freshwater habitats, it added.
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