However, this current bloom is dominated by non-toxic You can catch a surreal video of dolphins swimming through the bioluminescent waters off of Newport Beach, California

They normally live at depths of 1,200 feet, but occasionally the tide pushes them up to the surface, where they’re fished and eaten as a delicacy. To those familiar with the kelp forests that grace the underwater world, it almost looks like they have expanded a hundred-fold within a week or two.Massive red tide events only happen once every several years. This piece was originally published in The Guardian and appears here as part of our Climate Desk collaboration. Now, I am a biologist with the National Park Service in San Diego, CA.Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.I cover the living world, from microbes to ecosystems., the phytoplankton rapidly increase in abundance, often due warm water on the surface after heavier rains.By night, the disturbance caused by waves triggers to generate a pulse of blue light using luciferin, a light-emitting molecule. "When you see it in person, it's really amazing to see, because it's so hard to photograph. I am a scientist interested in how tiny microbes make big impacts in ecosystems. Mother nature has provided a radical gift to nighttime beach-goers in southern California, in the form of bioluminescent waves that crash and froth with an otherworldly light. Some algae or animals that cause red tides, such as planktonic surface dwellers, use bioluminescence that can be triggered by a physical disturbance, such as waves, according to He knew the algae might cause the blue glow, but not all red tides create the phenomena. My research has brought me to scenic environments from deserts to boreal forests. "Coyne shot video of their experience, which he posted on "When there was a set of bigger waves, it would light up a lot more," Girardeau said.

The photographers said they were the only ones on the beach that night. "As the night went on when we walked down farther down the beach it was brighter." Bioluminescent waves glow off the coast of Hermosa Beach, CA, on Saturday, April 25, 2020. "It was hard to tell from the shore," Hutain told CNN. Researchers say it’s due to an increase of tiny microorganisms that belong to … The coast of Southern California is being lit up by a spectacular display of bioluminescent waves.

Girardeau usually photographs marine life, so he said this was very special for him.

Hutain told CNN that he was on the beach, which is still open to the public, earlier in the day when he saw a red tide. The magical blue glow is thought to that would disturb water trying to consume the phytoplankton, or perhaps attract the attention of something that will eat the phytoplankton predator.stretches from Baja California, Mexico up to Santa Barbara.Some red tides produce toxins that can be harmful to marine life and dangerous to humans who consume sea life that have the toxin concentrated in tissue. He decided to send up a drone to see how big the bloom was.

This current one Bioluminescent waves glow off the coast of Hermosa Beach, CA, on Saturday, April 25, 2020.Regardless, exposure was a non-issue as beaches in Southern California were Red tides can last up to a month, but scientists do not have enough data to predict when they will begin nor end. My research has brought me to scenic environments from deserts to boreal forests. Bioluminescent waves glow off the coast of Hermosa Beach, CA, on Saturday, April 25, 2020.By day, Southern California beaches have a strange red-brown tint to them. Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. The current bloom has been visible to the naked eye in San Diego for almost three weeks.If you can’t make it out to the beach to enjoy the the light show, many Californians have captured it online so you can appreciate it from your home. "It was really awesome," Girardeau told CNN.

"I spend a lot of time in the ocean but never on the beach," he said. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.Three photographer friends captured rare bioluminescent waves in California. Southern California has been treated to a bioluminescent light show this spring with waves of electric blue on the region’s coastline. I earned my Ph.D. in biological sciences studying airborne microbes, particularly those that cause disease. II am a scientist interested in how tiny microbes make big impacts in ecosystems.

"So, it was great to see this." Mark Girardeau, who owns Orange County Outdoors, witnessed bioluminescent waves off Newport Beach, California, late Wednesday night with two …

Bioluminescent plankton light up the ocean in Aptos The glorious blue glow in the water is generated by a common species of plankton called Lingulodinium polyedra. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images By day, Southern California beaches have a … Not exactly bioluminescent plankton — this is a squid that emits light along its entire body. "So, we went back that night hoping to see something, and sure enough we did."