Reveal Nature

14/02/2026

Rainbow rocks in the Pacific Northwest of America. A stunning range of biofluorescent liverworts, lichens, algae and plants. Up near the water, liverwort diversity was much higher, and it is these ancient plants that really give this scene its diverse mix of colours.

Highly underrated and not well known. Liverworts are absolute superstars of colour when it comes to biofluorescence.

13/02/2026

2nd March - Back for a Rainbow Forest Biofluorescent Night Walk in the Rainforest at Bute Community Forest. :)

12/02/2026

Biofluorescent Calendar kicks off tonight with the South Downs National Park Dark Skies Festival at Seven Sisters Country Park where it looks like we're going to have a glowy mushroom show.

11/02/2026

I spent the month of April last year interviewing researchers at universities around the US for the book, managing to squeeze in a few side trips along the way. This was the biggest one, a lifelong dream of visiting the Pacific Northwest.

I spent a week driving around night after night in search of biofluorescence. For 6 days it was a little disappointing, some beautiful fluorescence, but lots of non-glowing mosses dominating every scene. No mega shows of colour. Until on the final night, I climbed up a waterfall and found this. A 20 metre squared area packed full of colour. A true rainbow of every colour shining in all it’s glory.

Scroll right for a before and after comparison under White light and UV light.

09/02/2026

These glowing walls were more than just beautiful. The fluorescence was originally used as a way to help miners find the Willemite, or zinc ore they were in search of.

Well over a hundred years ago miners first discovered it's distinct green glow, perhaps the first example of fluorescence being used in mining operations. Since that first discovery a technique that has gone global, and is today widely used in the pursuit and quality checking of rare minerals and gemstones around the world.

07/02/2026

Ever since I first saw a glowing rock I have had a dream of one day seeing an entire wall of glowing rock. This was the day that dream came true!

One of a selection of glowing walls full of fluorescent minerals at Sterling Hill Mining Museum.

04/02/2026

Sterling Hill Mining Museum.

These giant mega-ton slabs of glowing rock were awaiting transportation at the time of my visit. Destined for two of the world’s most famous museums, where they will soon be wowing visitors with their beautiful fluorescence.

02/02/2026

Sterling Hill Mining Museum is home to the Warren collection - The world’s largest fluorescent mineral collection. A series of rooms where you can find rocks glowing every colour you could ever imagine.

Located in New Jersey, it is well worth a trip for anyone visiting New York.

31/01/2026

When it comes to the world of fluorescent minerals there is one place in the world that takes the crown - Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Located in New Jersey, only an hour or two from New York City in a quiet little village.

Renowned for its incredible mineral diversity, nearly 400 different mineral species have been identified in the area, 96 of them fluorescent, and 66 of them not found anywhere else in the world.

If you want to see walls of glowing rocks, this is the place to visit.

28/01/2026

The Namib Desert Gecko - A very interesting story of Biofluorescence that has a good possibility of being a case of biofluorescent communication.

The team of German researchers who first wrote the research paper about their biofluorescence suggested they think it could be used as a means of spotting each other over the vast distances of sand that these gecko’s call home.

Their fluorescence has a high quantum yield (it's very bright), and is found on parts of the body where only the gecko’s could see it, but not visible to their main predators - birds from above.

The gecko’s have eyes specially adapted to see colour in low light making it a particularly interesting case.

Unfortunately the story falls short on a couple of important points - Firstly the light in their natural habitat wasn't measured so we don't know how much light would naturally be there to spark their fluorescence. And most crucially there have not yet been any behavioural studies to prove that the gecko’s actually see and respond to the fluorescence. Would be wonderful to see this one investigated further one day.

If you would like to read up more check out the original research paper titled:

Neon-green fluorescence in the desert gecko Pachydactylus rangei caused by iridophores.

26/01/2026

The Namib Desert Gecko. (Pachydactylus rangei)

What an incredible planet we live on, where there's reptiles that glow bright blue and green!

A team of German researchers published a 2021 paper exploring what gives these little geckos such a glow. They ended up uncovering a fascinating story and a strong candidate for biofluorescent communication. More to come in part 2 in a few days…….

Big thank you to for letting me come and take some photos of all your wonderful animals. An amazing breeding and conservation program based out of Brooklyn, New York.

If you would like to read up more check out the original research paper titled:

Neon-green fluorescence in the desert gecko Pachydactylus rangei caused by iridophores.

25/01/2026

This is going to be a special one. Returning to the wonderful community owned Bute Forest on 2nd March.

A stunning patch of temperate rainforest where there's always lots of colour and surprises in store.

Biofluorescence is when living organisms absorb light (often invisible UV light) and re-emit it as a different, visible colour, creating a glow. It is one of natures greatest hidden secrets and can be found across all orders of life including trees, plants, fungi, lichen and bryophytes. The worlds leading expert and pioneer of the subject David Atthowe of Reveal Nature is joining us for a very special evening providing you with the opportunity to experience this phenomenal alternative perspective of Balnakailly Rainforest. Contact amie.dow@buteforest.org to BOOK NOW 🪸🌿🍄