Sounding more like a science fictional creature than a real-life animal, these amazing critters imitate the stars in the sky in order to catch meals.

Disorienting through astronomical imitation, these predators have evolved to use nighttime navigational strategies of other species to their advantage. Many animals, like moths, use starlight and moonlight to find their way and fly straight.

“That works fine when the moon and stars are real,” said Dave Merritt, a biologist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, “but when the source is close they end up spiraling into it.'” Many of these worms are found in caves where other species would only go by accident.

Decoys are common among deep-sea fish, where any light might indicate direction, but less common on the surface where so many competing sources of illumination are present.

In this case, “with their glowing lures in place, the worms drop threadlike snares, thin filaments of silk secreted from their mouths and dotted with balls of mucous, to trap confused flyers. Besides being extra-sticky, those mucous balls lend the strands the appearance of mardi gras beads, which magnify the worms’ spectral light like chandeliers.

The post Carnivorous Glow Worms Mimic Night Sky to Catch their Prey first appeared on Gajitz.

Form follows function in this flexible and transparent combination bookmark and nighttime reading light, which turns on when you fold the battery back to connect with a lower tab.

The ‘bookmark light’ by Kouichi Okamoto “uses a conductive ink that transmits electricity through the help of a lithium coin battery. The grid utilizes ink with nano size silver particles between a layer of film that forms the liquid crystal.”

The transparency provides a fun way to see how the gadget works, and the simple on/off function makes for easy use as a light while the flat configuration makes for a simple bookmark. All in all, a pretty simple but neat way to get a little illumination for your bedroom or travel reading.

The device was created in “collaboration with business venture Agic Inc. of the University of Tokyo – the interactive design can be used as page tab or as a illuminative source, allowing one to carry on reading without disturbing a sleeping partner.”

The post Close the Circuit: Bookmark Folds into Flexible Reading Lamp first appeared on Gajitz.

A simple concept backed by provocative design execution, this lunar lamp series comes in seven sizes, letting you bring a little moon with you wherever you go.

Developed by Acorn Studio in Taipei, the spherical lanterns are handcrafted from non-toxic latex and glass fiber and have already made their way into music videos and onto concert stages.

LED-illuminated Luna lamps can be suspended like a celestial body or simply set on an available surface. They are water- and heat-resistant and have adjustable light settings. Being handmade, each one is also unique in its variegated lunar-inspired surface texture.

“Divine and serene, the moon is a resting place for our heart. After a long day, we sometimes want to take a glimpse at the moon for a sense of relief, only to find skyscrapers in the city. But now, you can bring the moon along with you. Inspired by the moon, Luna, hopes to bring more delight and content into your life. Indulge yourself into the moonlight. Let Luna illuminate your space, and your mind.”

The post Goodnight, Moon: Luna Lamps Bring Moonlight Inside first appeared on Gajitz.

Flipping on the light switch when you have to make a midnight run to the restroom can be a jarring experience, shocking you awake with bright lights rather than ambient illumination – unless, that is, your floor is full of stars (image above by Ben Yanis).

For the DIY inclined, Instructables contributor Baldr will show you how to add fiber-optic lights to the grout between your tiles (alternatively, Aron of Make will show you ceilings, shown in the last video below), filling the space between glossy floor panels with a nifty and functional form of night lighting. Other approaches include embedded fiber optics directly into floor panels, stringing them along wall corners and intersections or winding them under a transparent surface for more curvaceous effects (shown above).

Essentially, you have to bundle the fibers, place those bundles under the tiles, trim the fibers then terminate them at various random intervals to create the desired effect. Of course, you don’t have to limit the application to bathroom floors – any tiled surface could be a candidate, or you could do something similar on outdoor decks or in garages as well (image above by Kainet).

For a project like this, material and tool requirements are pretty straightforward, including standard supplies for fibre optic installation (or a premade kit) and of course whatever you need for the related elements (for a floor: whatever you would need to retile that floor). For the geeky home improvement type, fibre optics can produce sleek designs for everything from floors to yards and ceilings, adding a little distributed light wherever you have need.

The post Fiber Optic Floor: DIY Stars Light Up Bathroom at Night first appeared on Gajitz.

Never walk through darkened alleyways or sidestep through unsafe side streets again with this clever new app that emphasizes lighting over shortest routes when walking you from Point A to Point B. “Rudder makes it easy to travel wherever your nocturnal adventures take you by finding you the most well-lit path to your destination, be it your apartment, the library, or a nearby food hub. With Rudder, long walks down dark alleys and fake phone calls with your mom are a thing of the past.”

Currently in beta, Rudder uses API data and a built-in light meter (using the phone’s camera) to show users both the best-illuminated path to their destination as well as the amount of light that is actually shining along their route. Functional for those trying to stay safe, the app can also be used by those with impaired vision who want to stay somewhere they can see effectively. Eventually, the app may be expanded to include features that show others where you are, letting them make sure you are making it home safely.

Designer Hannah Dow started by looking at college campuses: “Young students often have a hard time getting their bearings. They might be new to that city, and have to try to find their way between all these different buildings. We’re hoping that students will use our app not just to help them get to know their environments, but to make smarter decisions about where they are walking, especially at night.”

The post Night Light: Walking Map App Takes You Along Lit Areas first appeared on Gajitz.