The Sea Mouse (Aphrodita aculeata): this marine worm's body is fringed by photonic crystals that emit colorful displays of light; each crystal is essentially a thin, glassy tube with a wall composed of 88 perfectly hexagonal cylinders

26 points OneUnholyCatholic

Normally, these [spines] have a deep red sheen, warning off predators, but when light shines on them perpendicularly, they flash green and blue

So they don't emit light, it's just that the spines are reflective. Still very cool

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodita_aculeata

parent
5 points Dankestmemelord

How can it be simultaneously a hexagon and a cylinder?

parent

5 points imperfcet

Hexagonal prisms!

parent root

2 points Dankestmemelord

Still not a cylinder.

parent root

2 points Specimanic

Thinking hexagonal tubes connected to eachother in a circle

parent root

9 points Specimanic

Okay nevermind it doesn't make sense as written, your outrage is warranted and even supported.

Here is a link to some really excellent photography of the spines' structure https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22722

parent root
3 points asperta

I would firmly believe that this creature lived in the oceans of the Europa moon.

parent
2 points Duke-of-Hellington

WOW!

parent
1 points f202k

CUTEEEEE

parent
1 points kioku119

So cooooool!

parent