Recent genetic and fossil studies suggest that over half a billion years ago, ancient oceans sparkled with the luminous glow of bioluminescent corals. These findings, published on April 24 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest that bioluminescence originated nearly 300 million years earlier than previously believed.
Danielle DeLeo, an integrative biologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., led the study. “This research marks the earliest evidence of bioluminescence on our planet, significantly extending the timeline previously established by a 2022 study,” DeLeo stated. The 2022 study identified bioluminescence in a 267-million-year-old precursor to today’s sea fireflies, tiny crustaceans resembling seeds.
