I was trying to take pictures of it, and I was just getting these silhouettes, Osbornrecalled.
How is it that I can shine two strobe lights at them and all that light just disappears?
Deep underwater, where the sun doesn’t penetrate, bioluminescence given off by different animals provides light.
Pacific blackdragon (Idiacanthus antrostomus)
It’s how animals not only mate, but how predators find their prey.
Making oneself invisible in these situations is the difference between life and death.
The ultra-black quality of the fish is due to melanin.
Pacific blackdragon (Idiacanthus antrostomus)
Effectively what theyve done is make a super-efficient, super-thin light trap, Osborn says.
Light doesnt bounce back; light doesnt go through.
It just goes into this layer, and its gone.
Anoplogaster cornuta
With birds and butterflies, the effect is a combination of melanin and light-capturing structures.
This differs greatly from the fish, which are only using melanin.
Researchers have discovered 16 species of Vantablack fish.
Ultra-black ridgehead (Poromitra crassiceps)
Pacific blackdragon (Idiacanthus antrostomus)
Pacific blackdragon (Idiacanthus antrostomus)
