Researchers at Algoma University in Ontario studied the human brain and found that they actually glow a little bit. When the brain metabolizes energy, flashes of light are released because electrons break down and ‘let go’ of their photons in a process called ultra-weak photon emissions (UPEs).

This glowing is not the same as bioluminescence or phosphorescence, two types of glowing that most people have seen throughout their life (fireflies and glow-in-the-dark toys as an example of each, respectively).

Their findings took place as they were researching the left occipital lobe, which is the visual processing area in the brain as well as the right temporal lobe, which is known as the part of the brain responsible for nonverbal communication.

Flashes of light on the brain may seem cool, but are they of any use? The brain isn’t exactly something that people see on a regular basis, so what can be done with it? Well, the team hopes that these UPEs could someday help doctors to be able to better analyze neurological conditions. Hayley Casey is the lead researcher on the findings, said:

“Because UPEs are related to oxidative metabolism, the most immediately relevant applications might include the detection of budding brain tumors, excitotoxic lesions, mild traumatic injuries, and neurotoxic insults.”

Issues with the brain like these and others are often very hard to diagnose because scanning the brain is difficult and dangerous. MRIs and PET scans can be done, but those can also interfere with brain activity, leading to inaccurate results in some cases. Opening up the skull to look for tumors or other things is extraordinarily dangerous and generally seen as a last resort.

The fact that there is this type of light in the brain may be able to be detected using scanning technology that does not interfere with the brains activity. If developed, this type of tool could help doctors to get a better understanding of the health of a brain and what type of activity is going on.

Of course, significant research and new tools would need to be created for this to be successful, but knowing that the brain does indeed glow like this is an important first step.

If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.