Bioluminescence is the result of a Biochemical reaction.
It can also be described as a chemiluminescent reaction involving a direct conversion of chemical energy into light energy.( Burr 1985, Patel 1997 and Herring1978).

The reaction involves the following elements:

· Enzymes (Luciferase) - biological catalysts that accelerate and control the rate of chemical reactions in cells.

· Photons - packs of light energy.

· ATP - adenosine triphosphate, the energy storing molecule of all living organisms.

· Substrate (Luciferin) - a specific molecule that undergoes a chemical charge when affixed by an enzyme.

· Oxygen - as a catalyst

A simplified formula of the bioluminescent reaction:

ATP(energy) + Luciferin (substrate)+ Luciferase(enzyme) + O2(oxidizer) == == light (protons) 

The bioluminescent reaction occurs in two basic stages:

 (1) The reaction involves a substrate (D-Luciferin), combining with ATP, and oxygen which is controlled by the enzyme (Luciferase). Luciferins and Luciferase differ chemically in different organisms but they all require molecular energy (ATP) for the reaction.

(2) The chemical energy in stage one excites a specific molecule (The Luminescent Molecule: the combining of Luciferase and Luciferin). The excitement is caused by the increased energy level of the luminescent molecule. The result of this excitement is decay which is manifested in the form of photon emissions, which produces the light. The light given off does not depend on light or other energy taken in by the organism and is just the byproduct of the chemical reaction and is therefore cold light.

The energy in photons can vary with the frequency (color) of the light. Different types of substrates (Luciferins) in organisms produce different colors.  Marine organisms emit blue light,  jellyfish emit green, fireflies emit greenish yellow, railroad worms emit red , and Glow worms and fungi emit greeny bluish light ( appears blue to the eye but is actually in the green light spectrum ).