Re: Just how does a LIGHTNING BUG light up?

Dear Kelly:

Thanks for your interesting question.

Fireflies light up via a process call bioluminescence,
in which chemical energy is converted to light energy.  
Suprisingly, bioluminescence is rather common in nature, 
particularly in the deep sea.

Fireflies have an organ on their abdomen called a "lantern"
which contains many molecules of a chemical called luciferin.
An enzyme called luciferase oxidizes luciferin.  Oxidized
luciferin has more energy, and it releases this energy as
light when it returns to its original state.  

Check out this website about  Bioluminescence 
to read more about this phenomenon, and other animals and plants 
that do it.

				
                   			Ray Hsu
					HSURM@MEDICINE.WUSTL.EDU