From April through September, a type of algae commonly called ‘sea sparkle’ blooms along the coast of all 36 islands in the Matsu archipelago off the coast of Taiwan. An enzyme reaction in the algae’s single-cellular bodies creates the light-emitting chemical reaction. Locals call the natural light show ‘blue tears.’ Stranger still is that when the water is disturbed, the algae light up even brighter. If you want to see the blue tears of the Matsu Islands, there’s still time to book a trip—the bioluminescent effect is more common and more intense during the hot summer months.
The glowing waters of the Matsu Islands
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Winnie-the-Pooh Day
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Tom Turkey takes Manhattan
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Birds of a feather flocking together
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Eye of the cave
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International Museum Day
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Eben Ice Caves, Upper Peninsula, Michigan
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Join the parade for World Elephant Day
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First Cliff Walk
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Do spirits haunt the Gardens of Versailles?
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San Gimignano, Siena Tuscany, Italy
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Happy 50th for the National Trails System!
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A species worth defending
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Where the wildflowers grow
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Terraced fields of green
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International Day of Friendship
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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Wedded Rocks, Japan
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Kalalau Beach on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii
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Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
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Fashion models of the avian world
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‘Hello’ from zero degrees longitude
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World Penguin Day
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
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Groundhog Day
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Life in the slow lane
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Adorable activism
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On the Route of the Waterfalls
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World Meteorological Day