America's 5 Best Bioluminescent Beaches | Islands

MBL's Stoney Beach makes the list!

Bioluminescence is one of those natural phenomena that you simply have to see to believe. The idea of shores glowing with a glittering, blue-green light sounds like something out of a fever dream, but there are, in fact, places across the U.S. where the rare phenomenon of bioluminescence can be seen in the water. Much like chasing views of the northern lights, visiting bioluminescent beaches is a form of noctourism — traveling to destinations for nocturnal sightseeing. Bioluminescent organisms only glow at night, typically an hour or two after sunset, and the glow is especially pronounced on dark, moonless nights, in places with minimal light pollution.

The key to knowing where and when to see bioluminescent waters is understanding how the organisms that produce the light function. Many aquatic critters produce bioluminescence, but most come from Noctiluca scintillans, a dinoflagellate (plankton) that emits light when disturbed as a biological mechanism for startling predators. For that reason, you'll typically only see the glow in the crashing waves, or if you swoosh your hand through the water. The organisms are drawn to areas in the water that are nutrient-rich, so they may appear more abundant after rainfall, which brings in more nutrients. Read rest of story here.

Source: America's 5 Best Bioluminescent Beaches, According To Firsthand Reviews | Islands