“Glowy” fungi illuminate the path to understanding bioluminescence

Bioluminescence has been widely studied, but the biology underlying this light emission or "glow" remains incompletely understood- until now: read on to find out more.

Some fungi can emit light. This glow, called bioluminescence, has been widely studied, but the biology underlying this light emission remains incompletely understood.

Bioluminescence is extensively used in scientific research, and enables real-time imaging of dynamic processes like tumour progression or inflammatory responses, making it a valuable tool in medicine. Therefore, understanding the exact mechanisms that make fungi glow could provide important insights into improving and expanding bioluminescence-based tools and applications.