"It's quite handy if you're trying to avoid being eaten."

March 9, 2018 7:53 PM

[Hawaiian bobtail squid are] colonized by microbes. But they are selective about their partners: Of the thousands of species of microbes in the ocean, only one—Vibrio fischeri—is allowed to enter the squid’s body. Once inside, it begins to glow. And that glow, it is said, perfectly matches the moonlight welling down on top of the squid, masking its silhouette from predators looking up from below. The bacteria provide the squid with a kind of luminous invisibility cloak. But they do much more than that.

The charming video which accompanies the article is the seventh in a series based on the book I Contain Multitudes by Atlantic science writer Ed Yong (previously).

posted by Johnny Wallflower (11 comments total)

I was kind of hoping for a full article. Interesting subject.
posted by clockzero at 9:17 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Jeez that was just way too charming and interesting! What a great story, thank you for sharing.
posted by Doleful Creature at 11:34 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

A squid the size of a walnut is fascinating enough, but germs that imitate moonlight? What an interesting tale; if a science fiction writer made this up, no one would believe it
posted by LeLiLo at 12:21 AM on March 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

It is an amazing book and I insist, may demand, you read it.
posted by smoke at 2:56 AM on March 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

That video was extremely charming!! I loved the scene at the beginning with the itty bitty squid covering itself with sand.
posted by Fig at 6:16 AM on March 10, 2018

clockzero, the video goes into much greater detail.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:00 AM on March 10, 2018

Loved the video, too, and now I want to read the book. But I'm disappointed -- no footage of the actual squid while glowing! (Or did I miss something? All I saw was an animation of the glowing.)
posted by martin q blank at 1:27 PM on March 10, 2018

Ruthless killers who float around, cover you with black fluid, and lovingly care for their disease-filled sacs. They are the Baron Harkonnen of the cephalopod world.
posted by mubba at 1:58 PM on March 10, 2018 [4 favorites]

Oh! The Teuthologist on the Ologies podcast was talking about these squid. So cute!
posted by rebent at 8:38 PM on March 10, 2018

clockzero, the video goes into much greater detail.

I expected that it would, but I like reading. I think lots of media outlets are doing videos rather than text now for reasons unrelated to suiting the subject matter well to the topic.
posted by clockzero at 9:15 PM on March 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Fair enough; I'm the same way, but this one is short and interesting.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:11 PM on March 11, 2018