18K views · 669 reactions | Worms in the deep sea? When pigs fly! A favorite from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), behold the pigbutt worm — Chaetopterus pugaporcinus! | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Facebook

New study by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) shows bioluminescence is far more common than previously thought, with nearly 75% of deep-sea creatures emitting their own light. But despite being "so common that it ranks as one of the planet’s dominant traits," the dazzle-in-the-dark is still just as awe-inspiring. nyti.ms/2vg5n2H | California Academy of Sciences

This weekend blue our minds! Bioluminescent waves filled with light-producing plankton ignited the surfline through the night all around the Monterey Bay! The light is produced by a type of plant-plankton known as dinoflagellates (the specific species involved in this bloom are being identified.) Bioluminescence is relatively rare on land—fireflies or glow-in-the-dark mushrooms are some common examples—but it’s a staple in the ocean. Our colleagues Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI

There’s no fall 🍂, like a whale fall 🐋 At the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), our “office” is Monterey Bay and its deep underwater canyon. Using advanced robots, we’re revealing the stunning community of life that thrives deep beneath the ocean’s surface. Studying our blue backyard has revealed our connection to the ocean— how it sustains us and how our actions affect its future. MBARI scientists, engineers, communications staff, and marine operations crew are driven by a cur

Happy Mola mola Monday! Our colleagues at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) spotted this school of sunfish during a dive—and it made us realize there’s no collective noun specifically for molas! We’d like to nominate “a melee of mola.” What do you think? Update! Leaderboard is currently: 🥇 — a guac of mola 🥈 — a mellow of mola 🥉 — a constellation of sunfish Honorable mentions: 🏆 an awkward of mola | Monterey Bay Aquarium