2025-08-19

[] 6.02K views, 741 likes, dislikes audio only

TED-Ed

Dig into the science of how and why fireflies glow, and how their bioluminescent signals differ between males and females.

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The first firefly is thought to have lived over 100 million years ago, illuminating the night with a glowing green light. And today, there are around 2,000 firefly species, found all over the world, from forests and grasslands to marshes and deserts. So, why do these insects glow? Emily A. Geest digs into the bioluminescent signals of fireflies.

Lesson by Emily A. Geest, directed by Lou Morton.

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View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-makes-fireflies-light-up-at-night-emily-a-geest

Dig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-makes-fireflies-light-up-at-night-emily-a-geest/digdeeper

Animator's website: https://louisjmorton.com/Films-Index

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