In a groundbreaking study that sounds like something from science fiction, researchers from the University of Calgary and Canada’s National Research Council have confirmed that all living organisms-including humans-emit a faint visible light that vanishes when we die.
This remarkable discovery reveals that life quite literally has a glow that extinguishes with death, potentially opening new doors for non-invasive medical diagnostics and health monitoring.
The Science Behind Our Inner Light
Scientists have detected what they call “ultra-weak photon emissions” (UPE) coming from living organisms. These emissions are incredibly faint-typically just 10-1000 photons per square centimeter per second-making them invisible to the naked eye and requiring highly specialized equipment to detect.
The research team used electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) cameras with extraordinary sensitivity, capable of capturing individual photons with over 95% efficiency in the visible light spectrum. This technology allowed them to observe the subtle glow emanating from living tissues.
“The fact that ultraweak photon emission is a real thing is undeniable at this point,” said University of Calgary’s Dan Oblak, the senior author of the study. “This really shows that this is not just an imperfection or caused by other biological processes. It’s really something that comes from all living things.”
Life vs. Death: The Dramatic Difference
To prove their theory, researchers conducted experiments with mice and plant leaves. Four mice were individually placed in a dark chamber and monitored for an hour before being humanely euthanized and examined for another hour afterward. The mice were kept at body temperature even after death to eliminate heat as a variable.
The results were striking: living mice consistently emitted significantly more photons than their deceased counterparts, despite maintaining the same body temperature of 37°C. This dramatic difference in emission patterns provides compelling evidence that the phenomenon is directly tied to life processes rather than simple thermal radiation.
Similar experiments with leaves from thale cress (Arabidopsis) and dwarf umbrella plants (Schefflera arboricola) showed comparable results. When researchers induced stress on the plants through physical damage and chemical agents, the injured areas glowed considerably brighter than healthy sections-further supporting the theory that reactive oxygen species generated during cellular stress are responsible for the gentle luminescence.
What Causes This Mysterious Glow?
The source of these biophotons likely comes from various reactive oxygen species produced by living cells when facing stressors like heat, toxins, pathogens, or nutrient deficiencies. When sufficient hydrogen peroxide is present, substances such as fats and proteins can undergo changes that excite their electrons, resulting in the emission of energetic photons as these electrons return to their stable states.
Unlike the dramatic bioluminescence seen in fireflies or deep-sea creatures, these ultraweak emissions occur in all organisms but are thousands of times fainter. They’re also distinct from the thermal radiation that all objects emit based on temperature.
Revolutionary Medical Applications
This discovery could revolutionize how we monitor health and detect disease. The ability to remotely assess stress levels in tissues could provide medical professionals with an invaluable, non-invasive diagnostic tool. Potential applications include:
- Non-invasive monitoring of metabolic activity
- Early detection of stress-related abnormalities
- Real-time observation of physiological changes
- Enhanced understanding of cellular processes
The next time someone tells you that you’re “glowing with health,” they might be more scientifically accurate than they realize. Our bodies truly do emit a faint light that reflects our biological state-a literal glow of life that fades only when that life ends.
The study was published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, adding credible scientific evidence to a phenomenon that might otherwise sound like something from the realm of the paranormal.
