Plastic Pollution Threatens Deep‑Sea Bioluminescence, Study Warns

A letter in *Cambridge Prisms: Plastics* warns that plastic pollution could disrupt the bioluminescent light of deep‑sea organisms. Ingestion of plastics may interfere with the chemical pathways that produce light and damage tissues, impairing organisms’ ability to find food and mates. Up to 80 % of complex‑celled deep‑sea species are believed to be bioluminescent, making this light the sole source of illumination in the ocean’s darkest depths. The authors cite anglerfish, whose luminous lure relies on symbiotic bacteria; toxic plastic additives could disturb this relationship and reduce the lure’s effectiveness. While some evidence points to plastic impacts on deep‑sea ecosystems, researchers lack high‑quality data to fully understand the consequences.