Glowing blue patches, also known as “blue tears”, have been lighting up waters off Pingtan Island in eastern China’s Fujian province. Drawing crowds of tourists, the natural phenomenon is actually caused by a tiny bioluminescent organism called dinoflagellates, a type of algae that glows when disturbed. Despite its beauty, the glistening sea is actually a sign of unhealthy waters. According to David Baker, an associate professor of biology at the University of Hong Kong, the algae blooms are harmful because they deprive other marine life of enough oxygen.
