Latest News

  • Home
  • National
  • What caused the blue glow on Chennai beaches?
What caused the blue glow on Chennai beaches?
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 IST
What caused the blue glow on Chennai beaches?

‘Sea tinkle’ also known as bioluminescence enthralled the visitors of Chennai’s Eliot’s Beach on August 18.

 
 

Injambakkam beach in Chennai was abuzz on August 18 night after visitors noticed a blue shimmer on the waves. The glow was also spotted at Besant Nagar’s Eliot’s Beach, and several users took to social media to share pictures and videos of the phenomenon.
 
Commonly known as sea tinkle, the Noctiluca algae were behind this phenomenon. The algae exhibits the phenomenon of bioluminescence or biologically produce light when disturbed.
 
The light is produced by a chemical reaction in the presence of oxygen involving an enzyme called “luciferase”. Bioluminescence has been observed in fireflies, a few beetles and in marine creatures such as Anglerfish and copepods.
 
Though the sight that they produce is beautiful, their arrival may not be good news. Noctiluca are known to be voracious predators of planktonic organisms(diatoms), leading to disruption of the marine food chain. They also excrete large amounts of ammonia, causing massive fish mortality. These algal patches are also linked to coastal pollution and runoff from agricultural areas.
 
A research paper published last year in the journal Harmful Algae highlighted that “global warming conditions” may also be responsible for their increase. The report — published last year, at a time when Mumbai’s beaches witnessed the phenomenon — noted that warming of the surface waters of the Arabian sea and reduction in the nutrient flux were the main reasons for their increase.
 
The function of this bio-luminescence in algae is not fully understood and various studies are being carried out to decode if it is a predator defense mechanism.
 
Such blooms have been reported annually in the Northern Arabian Sea since the early 2000s. Goa, Mumbai and the backwaters of Kerala have witnessed these algal blooms. Recently the magical glow featured in the Malayalam movie Kumbalangi Nights, which gained much attention.

 
 
 
 
 

Related Topics

 
 
 

Trending News & Articles

 Article
Here is the full list of 827 porn websites banned by the DoT

While the Uttarakhand High Court has asked to block 857 websites, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) found 30 portals without any pornographic content. ...

Recently posted . 61K views . 1 min read
 

 Article
Class XII Boys Raped 16-Year-old in Dehradun School After Watching Porn on Phone: Police

The four boys as well as five school officials, including the director and principal, were arrested after the incident. The minors were presented before the Juvenil...

Recently posted . 8K views . 1 min read
 

 Article
Sept 27,2001 Rahul Gandhi and his girl friend Veronique,was arrested in Logan airport in Boston

Rahul was having an Italian passport and was carrying suitcase full of dollars. Some say it was about was it $2 million. Rahul and his girl friend was th...

Recently posted . 7K views . 7 min read
 

 Article
TOP 10 GYM EQUIPMENT BRANDS IN INDIA 2017

True – Tr...

Recently posted . 6K views . 83 min read
 

 
 

More in National

 Article
Watch: Bear Tumbles Off Cliff After Stones Thrown At It In Kargil; Sparks Outrage

The bear had climbed a steep mountain ridge after being chased by the people from the nearby village, but fell into a stream after losing balance as people aimed st...

Recently posted. 469 views . 1 min read
 

 Article
Jharkhand: Man Dies Days After Being Attacked by Mob, Forced to Chant 'Jai Shri Ram'

Tabrez Ansari had been taken into judicial custody for alleged theft before his death.

Recently posted. 590 views . 0 min read
 

 Article
Delhi's IGIA adjudged best airport in the world

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has been adjudged as the best airport in the world according to the latest Ai...

Recently posted. 732 views . 6 min read
 

 Article
Income tax raids at houses of Tamil Nadu health minister, actor Sarathkumar

Days before the urgent assembly bypoll in Chennai's RK Nagar on April 12, income tax sleuths on Friday raided the houses and offices of Tamil Nadu’s healt...

Recently posted. 953 views . 15 min read
 

 Article
Indian Exchange Launches Lending Program for 5 Cryptocurrencies

An Indian crypto exchange has launched a program that allows its users to earn interest on their cryptocurrencies held at the exchange. Initially, users can lend BT...

Recently posted. 717 views . 1 min read
 

 
 
 

   Prashnavali

  Thought of the Day

“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”
Anonymous

Be the first one to comment on this story

Close
Post Comment
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST


ads
Back To Top