You can see the world in a biofilm, or the universe in a neural network. Jellyfish, seahorses, and turtles fluoresce in the ocean depths, while deadly diseases shimmer virulently under a microscope. When viewed under the right conditions, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. An assortment of gelatinous biofluorescent and bioluminescent organisms, known as ctenophores and jellyfish, shot on a low-light camera. Biofluorescent organisms absorb light, transform it, and re-emit it as a different color, while bioluminescent organisms create their own light through chemical reactions. Both organism types use their abilities to attract prey or, in some cases, defend themselves from predators. Credit: David Gruber, Radcliffe Fellow Footage of a biofluorescent “glowing” hawksbill sea turtle, captured on camera for the first time. The turtle absorbs light, transforming and re-emitting it as a different color back to the ocean. Scientists are still studying why the turtles, which are critically endangered, emit these lights. Credit: David Gruber, Radcliffe Fellow Excitatory neurons (red) and the inhibitory neurons (green) of a transgenic zebrafish larva. Labeling subpopulations of neurons in color allows scientists to monitor their activity and understand their role in neural circuits. Credit: Abhinav Grama, Cox Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
