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Fireflies glow because they have different chemicals in their bodies. When combined, there's a chemical reaction and they glow.

To be more specific, cells in the firefly's abdomen produce luciferin and that creates luciferase, an enzyme. The luciferin combines with oxygen and forms oxyluciferin, which is inactive, but luciferase speeds up the reactions. Luciferin combines with ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and luciferyl adenylate and PP(pyrophosphate) are produced.

Oxygen and luciferyl adenylate mix to produce oxyluciferin and AMP (adenosine monophosphate). Finally, it starts to glow.

There are also uric acid crystals produced by the abdominal cells that help the light reflect away.

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10y ago
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14y ago

The fireflies inhale to light up and they exhale to go out.

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9y ago

Fireflies glow to communicate, attract mates and repel predators. The chemical that makes them glow is called lucibufagen and has a foul taste.

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10y ago

jUST BURP..................................................

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8y ago

With certain chemicals that react in their bottoms.

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Q: How do fire flies light up?
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