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Article: Firefly delight.
- Article from:
- Science News for Kids
- Article date:
- June 14, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Summer is a magical time. I love the vivid flowers, the brilliant sunsets, and, perhaps most amazing of all, the bright flashes of fireflies dancing in the night.
In my fascination with fireflies, I'm not alone.
"When kids see fireflies, they commonly ask one question: 'Why do they light up?'" says entomologist Marc Branham of the University of Florida in Gainesville. "It's the parents who ask: 'How can fireflies actually produce light?'"
Scientists are shedding light on both questions.
And they have plenty of material to work with. Fireflies live on every continent except Antarctica. About 2,000 species are known to scientists, and ...