Deep Sea Webcam Provides New Light On Ocean Life

A marine biologist has been able to provide the world with a better understanding of deep sea ocean life with the help of a battery powered webcam that she designed and named Eye-in-the-Sea. Edith Widder has been studying undersea life since the early 1980’s.

The camera allows for the study of bioluminescent creatures that produce light through chemical processes. Inside certain cells of bioluminescent organisms an enzyme called luciferase catalyzes a light-producing reaction between a pigment called luciferin and oxygen.

The Eye-in-the-Sea depends on an external source of far-red light to light up its surrounding area. Most deep-sea creatures cannot see red light, because their eyes have evolved to focus on the shorter blue and green wavelengths that travel furthest through water.

Scientific American has put together a small slideshow of some of the deep-sea creatures and a video that depicts a large squid that is lured to the webcam.

More information can be found at the Scientific American website:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=edith-widder-bioluminescence

Photos Courtesy: Scientific American