It may look like an alien life-form has washed up on a beach, but this striking neon blue effect is a completely natural phenomenon.
The incredible image was taken by photographer Doug Perrine during a visit to Vaadhoo, one of the Raa Atoll islands in the Maldives. It captures a natural chemical reaction called bioluminescence, which occurs when a micro-organism in the water is disturbed by oxygen.
Although a rare sight on a shoreline, the phenomenon is more commonly seen at sea in the wake of ships that stir up the oxygen in the sea, which causes the bioluminescent bacteria to glow. Many undersea organisms ‘glow’, especially creatures that live at depths where light from the surface is less likely to penetrate.
The night-time glow is a side-effect of blooming red algae, known as red tide, which can turn entire beaches scarlet and murky during the day.
calculatedmess 
Cool! I love the blue colour effect on the beach.
me too!! it looks like avatar movie!! 😀
yeah it does!
So lovely.
🙂
Another fascinating snippet, with a beautiful picture. If you want to see another “alien life-form washed up on the beach”, also blue, have a look at this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dimitrie2000/8116520662/in/photostream
Found by my wife in Cornwall in August.
wow!!! that looks amazing! 😀
Reblogged this on Steve_Bro.
Very cool! I believe this phenomenon occurs near Puerto Rico, too. I’m hoping to find out soon.
Do let me know if you see any. 😀
Stunning! Just stunning!
Beautiful image! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Oh wow! I will probably not see one in my lifetime. It is so beautiful!
Very neat. We’ve seen this here in Southern Cal too, along with a “green flash” as the sun sets.
you’ve seen yourself! wow that is amazing! lucky you : D
Have you taken any pictures of it? I’m finding it really difficult to find any more pictures of this.
I LOVE this photo–it draws me in, fills me with such longing to be there.
When it comes to science, I am not the brightest. However, I do know that the water in the photo looks really cool.
I’m not very good at it either, i was just curious to read up about what might have created something so magical.. and felt like sharing it with my friends : D
Thanks for doing so.
OMG! How truly beautiful! ……Paula x
Yea it is :D.. I hoping that someday i’ll get to see it myself!
This is gorgeous! My favourite memory of bioluminescence was from this summer, sailing in to harbour late at night, with our wake shimmering behind us.
wow, that must have been fairy tale experience?
It truly was. Bioluminescence is one of my favourite things 🙂 The photograph you’ve included is beautiful.
Lovely, and such a pleasant experience to see the photo, must have been outstanding to watch up closse.
Thanks a lot for visiting my blogs natuurfreak and natuurplekjes.What a stunny photo of a natural
phenomenon making sea water glows.Very amazing.
Very interesting.
I have seen the red bloom off the coast of Normandy many years ago but this is definitely spectacular!
This is nostalgic. Memories from my childhood. I will always remember the tiny blue sparkles that appeared and disappered in the wet beach sand at night. Never found out what they were until now! Thanks!
Its really nice that you got to see it yourself! I’m still waiting for a day when that might happen to me 🙂
No Way, it has been post-produced *_____*
The photo is lovely – and reminds me of a night camping with a good friend on the West Coast of New Zealand. We swam in the bioluminescence – and woke in the night to see the towels we’d draped over our tent ropes glowing. Glorious – and so good to be prompted to remember – thank you!
that sounds like a magical experience.. wish I could see it for myself some day : )
Amazing photo!
I’ve always been curious as to why this happens…thanks for educating me!
I absolutely love this! How magical.
The mysteries of nature! 😀
I absolutely love this!! How magical
I’m glad you liked it 😀
It’s amazing stuff!
Thank you 😀
There’s something incredibly unreal about your blog, made all the more amazing by the fact this stuff is true! Thank you 🙂
hehe.. Thanks a lot Alarna Rose. I’m glad you liked it 😀
I have to agree. It is a breath taking shot
😀
i had absolutely no idea!!thank you for sharing xx
my pleasure 😀
Great shot! I’ve heard of this but haven’t even seen a photo of it… thanks!
Happy to help! 😀
One of the best things about our planet! We have this in New England at the end of the summer, but I remember it as being a greenish color.
That is really cool!! 😀
The color changes according to the type of algae or bacteria.. some places it also seen in Red!
Amazing photo! Thanks, too, for visiting my blog.
It was my pleasure.. And thank you 😀
You have a lovely blog Uma and the blue photo is tremendously beautiful. Ralph 🙂
Thank you Ralph 😀 you are very sweet!
*blushing* 😀
Amazing, who knew things like this existed outside of movies
😀
How very cool!!
😀
Wow, it’s so beautiful!! I never knew a phenomenon like this existed!! 😀
Ok, so I had to leave another comment. Love this picture also.
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