May the Force Be with You- Shark Defends Itself With Lightsaber Spines

These sharks are one with the force.

Researchers have discovered that the deep-sea Velvet belly lantern sharks arm themselves with glowing spines that can only be described as Star-Wars-esque lightsabers.

Scientists hypothesize that the sharks use the color producing cells to warn potential predators of the sharp spines. If this is the case, it may be the first known case of an animal using bioluminescence for defense.

Just as cool, these sharks also have bioluminescence on their bellies that mimics the light coming from the surface—making them invisible from below. You can see pictures of these amazing defense mechanisms here.