Luminous Squid

It’s been a couple weeks since the last squid story, therefore:

A squid that shines like a torch could lead to a new generation of optical tools. Scientists have been studying the Hawaiian bobtail squid which aims a beam down from its belly as a searchlight when looking for food. It also helps protect the squid from predators by reducing its tell-tale shadow on the ocean floor. The creature’s light-producing organ is powered by glowing bacteria. But the beam is produced by stacks of reflecting plates which surround the it.

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