Human body light can be rhythmic.
Researchers have imaged ultra-weak light from the human body and observed daily variation in the signal.
Biophoton Research Library
A curated scientific reading room on the light emitted by living systems.
Biophotons, also called ultra-weak photon emission or UPE, are faint light emissions studied in relation to oxidative metabolism, biological rhythms, spectral analysis, and non-invasive measurement.
Human body light
Oxidative metabolism
Spectral analysis
Cell communication
Non-invasive measurement
Ultra-weak signal, serious measurement context.
Researchers use sensitive instruments to study very faint biological light that the eye cannot see.
Start here
What are biophotons? In plain English, they are tiny light emissions from living systems. They are far below normal visibility, so they require sensitive imaging or photon-counting equipment.
Researchers study UPE because it is associated with reactive oxygen species, oxidative metabolic processes, human body rhythms, human skin oxidative stress, and spectral patterns. This library gives scientific context for O-Mira's interest in biological light signals; it does not prove O-Mira health outcomes.
Featured Evidence Themes
Four ideas that make the field worth reading.
The literature is broad, but these themes help visitors understand why ultra-weak biological light is treated as a serious research signal.
UPE reflects oxidative processes.
Reviews describe UPE as connected to oxidative metabolic reactions and reactive oxygen species.
Spectral analysis adds meaning.
Studies do not only measure intensity; they also analyze wavelength patterns that help interpret the signal.
Communication remains a careful hypothesis.
Researchers have explored potential roles for ultra-weak emissions in cell-to-cell communication, presented as an active research question.
Curated Library
Twelve research references for the biophoton context.
Each card links to PubMed and summarizes why the paper matters in plain English. These references are educational context, not direct proof of O-Mira outcomes.
2009
Human rhythm
Imaging of ultraweak spontaneous photon emission from human body displaying diurnal rhythm.
Kobayashi M.; Kikuchi D.; Okamura H. PLoS ONE.
Why it matters: A landmark human-body study showing that the body emits ultra-weak light below naked-eye sensitivity, with rhythmic daily variation.
View PubMed
2005
Human overview
An introduction to human biophoton emission.
Van Wijk R.; Van Wijk E.P. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd.
Why it matters: A useful entry point for understanding biophoton emission as ultra-weak light from living systems, including humans.
View PubMed
2021
Non-invasive tool
Human ultra-weak photon emission as non-invasive spectroscopic tool for diagnosis of internal states - A review.
Zapata F.; Pastor-Ruiz V.; Ortega-Ojeda F.; Montalvo G.; Ruiz-Zolle A.V. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Reviews human UPE as a developing non-invasive research field influenced by oxidative metabolic processes and internal or external factors.
View PubMed
2014
Whole-body imaging
Towards whole-body ultra-weak photon counting and imaging with a focus on human beings: a review.
Van Wijk R.; Van Wijk E.P.; van Wietmarschen H.A.; van der Greef J. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Frames human UPE research within systems biology and the body as a complex, dynamic biological system.
View PubMed
2016
Spectral analysis
Polychromatic spectral pattern analysis of ultra-weak photon emissions from a human body.
Kobayashi M.; Iwasa T.; Tada M. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Shows why wavelength patterns matter when interpreting UPE, not just the total amount of light detected.
View PubMed
2014
Mechanisms
Ultra-weak photon emission from biological samples: definition, mechanisms, properties, detection and applications.
Cifra M.; Pospisil P. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: A broad field map covering how UPE is defined, detected, and interpreted across biological samples.
View PubMed
2014
Cell communication
New perspective in cell communication: potential role of ultra-weak photon emission.
Prasad A.; Rossi C.; Lamponi S.; Pospisil P.; Foletti A. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Reviews experimental results and hypotheses about whether ultra-weak emissions may contribute to cell-to-cell communication.
View PubMed
2020
Human skin
Oxidative stress in human facial skin observed by ultraweak photon emission imaging and its correlation with biophysical properties of skin.
Tsuchida K.; Kobayashi M. Scientific Reports.
Why it matters: Demonstrates that UPE imaging can reveal regional variation in human facial skin oxidative stress under controlled observation.
View PubMed
2023
Label-free imaging
Biological Auto(chemi)luminescence Imaging of Oxidative Processes in Human Skin.
Poplova M.; Prasad A.; Van Wijk E.; Pospisil P.; Cifra M. Analytical Chemistry.
Why it matters: Shows how very faint luminescence can spatially resolve oxidative processes in human skin without labels.
View PubMed
2019
Skin evaluation
Imaging of ultraweak photon emission for evaluating the oxidative stress of human skin.
Tsuchida K.; Iwasa T.; Kobayashi M. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Supports UPE imaging and spectroscopy as research methods for evaluating oxidation-related skin responses.
View PubMed
2010
Epidermal cells
Ultra-weak photon emission as a non-invasive tool for monitoring of oxidative processes in the epidermal cells of human skin.
Rastogi A.; Pospisil P. Skin Research and Technology.
Why it matters: Describes spontaneous UPE as a result of cellular metabolic processes and a monitoring signal for oxidative processes in skin research.
View PubMed
2010
Monitoring method
Using ultra-weak photon emission to determine the effect of oligomeric proanthocyanidins on oxidative stress of human skin.
Van Wijk E.P.; Van Wijk R.; Bosman S. J Photochem Photobiol B.
Why it matters: Presents UPE measurement as a non-invasive method for continuously monitoring oxidative stress responses in human skin research.
View PubMedCategory Map
A topic map for deeper reading.
How This Connects To O-Mira
Scientific context for a measured biophotonic response.
O-Mira's M.I.D.™ research is built around measured biophotonic response in laboratory samples. The wider literature explains why biological light is a serious research context: researchers have observed UPE in humans, studied oxidative metabolic links, analyzed spectral patterns, and reviewed potential biological roles.
This library does not prove O-Mira health outcomes. It supports a narrower, responsible bridge: O-Mira belongs in a research conversation about biological light signals, passive material interfaces, and careful measurement.
Continue from the research archive to the O-Mira science story.
Explore how O-Mira explains M.I.D.™ material research, everyday use, and the O-Mira One device while keeping the science boundaries clear.
