🔦 #GlowInTheDarkScience: Why So Many Mammals Secretly Fluoresce Under UV Light! 🌟

 Turns out, Australia isn’t just full of weird animals—it’s full of glowing weird animals! (And they’re not alone.) A 2023 study found biofluorescence in over 125 mammal species, from platypuses to possums. But why? Scientists shaved roadkill to find out. 🚗💀

✨ What Is Biofluorescence?

• Not bioluminescence (like fireflies).

• Instead, fur/teeth/claws absorb UV light and re-emit it as pink, blue, or yellow glow.

• Found in marsupials, monotremes, and more—but not all mammals.

🦘 The Australian Mystery

In 2020, researchers accidentally discovered platypus fur glows way brighter than expected. Follow-up tests revealed:
✅ Bandicoots → Pink/yellow glow
✅ Quolls & possums → Blue/white hues
✅ Even roadkill lit up under UV!

🔬 The Science of Glow

To crack the code, scientists:
1️⃣ Shaved fur from roadkill (to avoid damaging museum specimens).
2️⃣ Analyzed it with high-tech chemistry tools.
3️⃣ Found "luminophores" (glow molecules) like protoporphyrin in all species—but each animal had unique combos.

🤔 Why Do They Glow?

Possible theories:
🌙 Nightlife perk? Helps nocturnal animals spot each other in dim light.
🌀 Evolutionary fluke? If it doesn’t hurt survival, nature keeps it.
🔍 More research needed! (But this is the first big chemical analysis in 50 years.)

🌍 Beyond Australia

Glowing mammals exist worldwide—even your cat’s whiskers might fluoresce! (Try a blacklight at home. �💡)

#ScienceIsWild #Biofluorescence #UVGlow #WildlifeResearch #EvolutionaryMystery

Reference

Reinhold LM et al. Luminophores in the fur of seven Australian wet Tropics mammals, PLOSOne, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320432.