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Why do fireflies emit light?

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This is necessary because if a firefly's light-producing organ got as hot as a light bulb, the firefly would not survive the experience. A firefly controls the beginning and end of the chemical reaction, and thus the start and stop of its light emission, by adding oxygen to the other chemicals needed to produce light. read more

Unlike a light bulb, which produces a lot of heat in addition to light, a firefly's light is cold light, without a lot of energy being lost as heat. This is necessary because if a firefly's light-producing organ got as hot as a light bulb, the firefly would not survive the experience. read more

The answer is that the light of a firefly is a chemical reaction, caused by an organic compound in their abdomens. read more

Light production in fireflies is due to a type of chemical reaction called bioluminescence. This process occurs in specialized light-emitting organs, usually on a firefly's lower abdomen. The enzyme luciferase acts on theluciferin, in the presence of magnesium ions, ATP, and oxygen to produce light. read more

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