2016 Rio Olympics, Handball, Preliminary, Women's Preliminary Group B Netherlands vs France, Future Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 6, 2016. Lois Abbingh (NED) of Netherlands celebrates a goal. (Photo by Marko Djurica/Reuters)

2016 Rio Olympics, Weightlifting, Final, Women's 63kg, Riocentro, Pavilion 2, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 9, 2016. Marina Rodriguez (CUB) of Cuba competes. (Photo by Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)

Netherland's Kitty van Male is hit in the face by Argentina's Agustina Habif during the women's quarterfinal field hockey game, August 15, 2016. (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)

2016 Rio Olympics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Final, Individual All-Around Final, Rotation 1, Rio Olympic Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 20, 2016. Melitina Staniouta (BLR) of Belarus competes using the hoop. (Photo by Ruben Sprich/Reuters)

A reveller performs during the first night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 23, 2020. (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)

Brazilian revelers pose during Carnival celebrations along Ipanema beach on February 18, 2012 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

2016 Rio Olympics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Preliminary, Group All-Around Qualification, Rotation 1, Rio Olympic Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 20, 2016. Team Brazil (BRA) compete using clubs and hoops. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

While vacationing on the Maldives Islands, Taiwanese amateur photographer Will Ho stumbled onto an incredible stretch of beach covered in millions of bioluminescent phytoplankton. These tiny organisms glow similarly to fireflies and tend to emit light when stressed, such as when waves crash or when they are otherwise agitated. While the phenomenon and its chemical mechanisms have been known for some time, biologists have only recently began to understand the reasons behind it. Photo: Bioluminescent phytoplankton washes up on Maldives beach. (Photo by Will Ho)