Why do things glow in the dark?

From glow-in-the-dark stickers to bioluminescent bacteria, twinkling fireflies to radiant jellyfish, the world is full of things that have the power to shine a light in the darkness. But how do glow-in-the-dark things actually work? We asked chemistry professor Aleeta M. Powe to illuminate this question for us. 

If you’ve got a question that we could shine some light on, send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact and we’ll do our best to brighten your day.