Firefly's Light Can Help Us Spot Life In Space, Alphagalileo Bookmark and Share

Excerpts: The luminescent substances of the firefly, luciferase, is used today in various forms of bioanalysis, but it is temperature sensitive. (...) has managed to get the substance to function at higher temperatures, which can yield more certain DNA analyses. When a firefly wants to find its partner, it transmits clear signals. Via a chemical reaction in the body, governed by the substance luciferase, energy is released, and light is emitted so that the flies can find each other in the dark. Luciferase reacts with all living material to create light. In this way we get an indicator for tracing life.