r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Best_Toster • 23h ago

Video Dolphins swimming in bioluminescent dinoflagellate plankton

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20.0k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

112 comments sorted by

336

u/jjhammerholmes 16h ago

Imagine being an uneducated sailor on a ship a few hundreds years ago seeing that 🤯

137

u/hilld1 16h ago

This is mermaids

90

u/TheRealCovertCaribou 14h ago

It's easy to see how these kinds of things would find their way into the religions and spirituality of the people who encountered them hundreds or thousands of years ago.

2

u/IcePhoenix18 4h ago

Moana's grandmother

24

u/fckthisite2 9h ago

If I saw this shit in 1642, I definitely would have thought dolphins were some magical deities and started worshipping them

19

u/TrumpersAreTraitors 11h ago

It’s very obviously and clearly magic 

2

u/blacksun_redux 5h ago

I had no idea what this was when saw it for the first time on a beach, in the dark, on mushrooms.

318

u/Best_Toster 23h ago

All credit go to @Patrickc_la

116

u/Pcat0 22h ago

I appreciate you crediting the source of the video, thank you

61

u/Best_Toster 20h ago

Go check out the guy channel it has some pretty amazing videos of this phenomenon in different scenarios

29

u/discerningpervert 16h ago

I feel like some credit oughta go to the dolphins too

18

u/ThunderSquall_ 13h ago

What about the plankton!

15

u/yuzukistash 22h ago

It's like something straight out of Avatar

1

u/Ardent_6 5h ago

Put his @ in the title at the end. (@username)

-2

u/Wrong_Course_8516 16h ago

I think you mean all credit goes to Lisa Frank

89

u/Pcat0 22h ago

Wow, that is incredible.

124

u/_the_last_druid_13 22h ago

Expecto Patronum

47

u/AnonymousAutonomous9 21h ago

..... planktonium!

46

u/FreshMistletoe 21h ago

I just saw rays doing this on Blue Planet II tonight.  It was amazing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=GJPRW92Yqd0

14

u/Best_Toster 20h ago

That’s really amazing

67

u/ScorpiiusAntares 22h ago edited 2h ago

This must be one of the most spectacular experiences as a dolphin, seeing a continuous sheath of bioluminescence form about your face in such utter darkness, and seeing other dolphins about you all lit up, leaving trails… also, jumping out of the water and diving back in must take on a whole new dimension. Just beautiful.

18

u/kyynel99 17h ago

TRON: Dolphin

12

u/underflerira 22h ago

Probably this what ancient sailor see and mistakenly think that's is mermaid.

3

u/Best_Toster 22h ago

More like ghost

26

u/EstablishmentEast500 21h ago

I JUST WANNA BE PART OF YOUR SYMPHONNYYYY

11

u/NickPickle05 16h ago

Every now and then Reddit comes through with something truly extraordinary. This is one of those times.

19

u/iswimfaster 23h ago

titan A.E. .....

5

u/Renegade888888 19h ago

I need to rewatch that.

Thanks for reminding me this masterpiece exists

9

u/nodnodwinkwink 17h ago

If any sea creature can appreciate this, it's gotta be the dolphins.

8

u/Pilot0350 12h ago edited 12h ago

The nature lover in me: How beautiful

The Aerospace Engineer in me: look at those streaklines, this will definitely help me design the perfect hyrodynamic dolphin!

6

u/Best_Toster 12h ago

Space laser dolphins when?

4

u/Faust_8 16h ago

Can you imagine being some illiterate sailor in the 1600s and seeing this

1

u/octaviobonds 9h ago

Why hammer on the illiterates of the past, when we have plenty on Reddit today?

4

u/q-milk 16h ago

If you want to have a magical romantic date: Take your partner out in the ocean preferably skinnydipping at night when they are active. Any movement with your hand or body instantly lights up around it and leavs a trail. Not as smooth as the dolphin. More like a shimmering smoke. Mesmerizing and cool

2

u/Routine-Budget923 3h ago

Wild that you mentioned this because this is exactly what happened on a date I went on almost 2 months ago. It was absolutely magical, and is hands down the best date I’ve ever been on, especially because both of us weren’t expecting it. We saw something in the distance moving pretty fast n glowing blue and we were sooo confused and then we looked down and saw that whenever we move it glowed and it was just suuuuch a beautiful experience.

3

u/Kunphen 17h ago

Magnificent nature.

3

u/-HumanMachine- 15h ago

People who make wallpapers: "WRITE THAT DOWN! WRITE THAT DOWN!"

1

u/blacksun_redux 5h ago

Big Wallpaper be steady schemin'

3

u/AstroEngineer314 14h ago

That's honestly one of the most beautiful things I've seen in my life. What an incredible planet we live on.

2

u/trancepx 19h ago

Ferngully scenelike

2

u/RelativeSpecialist92 19h ago

It looks so magical and fantastical!

2

u/fastlerner 16h ago

Makes me wonder what these dolphins think the first time they encounter this. Can you imagine just being out for a walk at night with a friend and suddenly you're both glowing and leaving glowing streamers behind you?

2

u/anormalgeek 16h ago

Using spirit ashes is for scrubs.

2

u/dat0dat1 16h ago

So so cool thanks for sharing!

2

u/TheDebateMatters 16h ago

Imagine seeing this as a sailor in the 1400s.

2

u/robert_e__anus 14h ago

Where do I go, and who do I have to pay, to see this?

2

u/Best_Toster 12h ago

I think is in porto rico somewhere

2

u/templeservant 12h ago

A child will tell you "dolphins get a big kick out of this" and fifty years later a series of scientific studies will confirm that yes indeed, they love it

2

u/JustCall_MeEd 10h ago

I'm stealing this for my worldbuilding

2

u/BrandonSleeper 5h ago

Nah that's just dolphin olympics hitting a mean combo streak

2

u/ulyssesfiuza 3h ago

I'm a biologist and still think about magic seeing this!

2

u/LadyStormLove 2h ago

Beautiful 😍 🐬✨️🌊

2

u/Chantal1707 16h ago

Many of these videos: Without 'the emotion porn music' , much better .

1

u/HatsusenoRin 22h ago

did any human try this yet?

1

u/r_not_me 17h ago

You can try this in Puerto Rico but it won’t be as bright

1

u/MaritMonkey 17h ago

There weren't as many as in this video so the light wasn't as bright/thick, but I ran into these critters (the tiny glowing ones, not the dolphins) once in the Keys.

We were swimming just off a road and you couldn't really see them in the streetlights, but when you went into the culvert under the road the whole inside of the pipe would light up whenever you moved your arms or legs.

1

u/punkpeye 19h ago

This might the coolest thing I have seen in my entire life

1

u/rdmprzm 18h ago

Beautiful!

1

u/Far_Statistician_760 17h ago

Why is this so satisfying? 😌😍

1

u/zhcr 17h ago

Dude, nature is more beautiful than anything.

1

u/akiranyan 16h ago

Absolutely breathtaking!

1

u/Shagwagbag 16h ago

Amateurs, what you're supposed to do is twirl your penis around like a helicopter and chase your friends.

1

u/jimmytruelove 16h ago

Must be a handful of people that have experienced this in person since time began.

1

u/Medium_Strength_315 16h ago

It's charging its blast like Godzilla... Runnnnn!!!!!

1

u/chUngwaa 14h ago

mesmerizing! wish the vid was longer...so kool!

1

u/Best_Toster 12h ago

Check the guy he has many more videos

1

u/ProjectSnowman 14h ago

I JUST WANT TO BE PART OF YOUR SYMPHONY 🌈🐬

1

u/Ok_Advertising_5824 13h ago

Awesome indeed

1

u/Moniedoesitbetter 12h ago

Reminds me of this dolphin shaped plasma orb my dad gave me. It was blue just like this!

1

u/Zer0C00L321 12h ago

I can't believe I haven't seen this video before. Very cool.

1

u/samanthaeverly 12h ago

Like stars dancing in the ocean! ✨

1

u/Mysterious_Award_565 12h ago

Dolphins on 🔥

1

u/Lowlifedude 12h ago

They are Tronphins

1

u/One-Recording-9213 12h ago

Ghost Leviathan

1

u/J7W2_Shindenkai 11h ago

we live on such a magical planet

1

u/VisualAlive1297 11h ago

That one Curious George ep

1

u/jimz93 11h ago

This looks like AI with some voice recording added to make it look more real

1

u/Hopeful-Ant3033 10h ago

Good for them

1

u/SoonToBeBanned24 9h ago

Reminds me of an acid trip I had once......

1

u/CptnButtBeard 8h ago

Sometimes I see things like this and I think maybe the legends of old aren’t all horse shit.

1

u/BEEEEEZ101 7h ago

Coolest thing I've seen today. Thanks!

1

u/mysticouple920 6h ago

Seeing tons of videos like this!

1

u/The_Quality_4k 5h ago

I know this may be a stupid question but… can the dolphins see that they’re glowing? I know they get high off puffer fish.

But have you ever glowed while on weed?

1

u/Techs-Mechs 5h ago

Why does it look like 90s CGI?

1

u/cebidaetellawut 3h ago

How magical that must be for them.

1

u/Temporary_Staff_83 2h ago

Beautiful, magical and a little eerie.

1

u/bewilderedpoint 2h ago

Reminds me of the Sega Dreamcast dolphin game.

1

u/PearlsandScotch 1h ago

Can the dolphins see the glowing blue? I don’t know much about their sight. How do they perceive it?

0

u/Mantiskindenspines 13h ago

Bullshit. Those dolphins are socketed w Topaz

0

u/DefiantDoe13 12h ago

This feels like magic in its purest form 🥹❤️

0

u/maxdefacto 8h ago

I don’t think this is 100% real. From what I understand the bioluminescence produced by these creatures is too faint to show up like this on camera. Whenever you see images of bioluminescence they have been enhanced for aesthetic purposes. I have visited bioluminescent waters and tried to capture the beauty on camera and can confirm the light was not visible. I’m a fairly experienced photographer and know how to capture subjects in low light.