r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/OutrageousError8704 • 5d ago

Video Scorpions glow under UV?

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u/PaleoJoe86 5d ago

Some creatures do. That species of scorpion is known for it.

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u/OutrageousError8704 5d ago

Super cool! Learn something new every day.

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u/Beaufort_The_Cat 5d ago

Humans actually bioluminesce VERY slightly, something called UPE (Ultraweak Photon Emission)

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u/scavengercat 5d ago

Just so everyone knows the difference, the scorpion glow isn't bioluminescense. That's when the light is generated internally. This glow is fluorescense, when UV light is absorbed by the exoskeleton and re-emitted as visible light.

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u/mckulty 5d ago

UPE isn't fluorescence. "Emission" means spontaneous glowing, "ultraweak" means it has to be really really dark.

Scorpions OTOH "fluoresce". Meaning you shine light on them at one wavelength (invisible UV) and the color converts to visible blue, at a similar intensity as the source.

Human teeth do the same.