The first thing I usually do in the morning after waking up is switch on my bedside light.

And every day and every night, lights are switched on and off across the world.

It's estimated that electricity for lighting accounts for approximately 15% of global power

consumption and 5% of greenhouse gas emissions.

So anything that can be done to increase the efficiency of the lighting we use

has got to be good news.

Well, guess what? Small insects called fireflies could hold the answer

to better more efficient lighting.

Welcome again to 30 animals that made us smarter from the BBC World Service.

The podcast about how animals are helping us solve some really challenging problems.

We've had a number of fascinating podcasts so far and lots more left in store for you so make sure you hit that

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I can't believe we're already up to episode number 7

Fireflies and light bulbs. There are a few experiences in life, like seeing a shooting star for the first time, a double rainbow,

or the Aurora Borealis, the natural light display often referred to as the Northern Lights, that are quite simply magical. light

that are quite simply magical.

I remember walking through a field at night on a camping trip

and I noticed that the air was filled with tiny moving lights. It was a firework display

unlike any other. The lights however were produced not by exploding phosphorus or

brightly burning magnesium but by little insects.

...