On April 6-7 1862, some of the injured soldiers at the Battle of Shiloh were touched by angels that went to work healing their wounds with a glowing blessing. Except, the angels weren’t really involved. At least, not directly. Listen this week to learn the scientific theory that explains the ethereal glow of the maimed infantry and the fascinating dynamic duo of symbiotes who probably made it happen.  

Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name. 

Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer. 

Sources:

1. Why Some Civil War Soldiers Glowed in the Dark by Matt Soniak

2. Angel’s Glow: Bioluminescence Uncovered on the Battlefield by Radhika Ganeshan

3. Phosphorescence and Potential Antibiosis Secondary to Photorhabdus Luminescens Wound Contaminations at the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee 1862 by E. Scott Sills, et al.

4. Toxins and Secretion Systems of Photorhabdus luminescens by Athina Rodou, Dennis O. Ankrah, & Christos Stathopoulos

5. Photorhabdus Luminescens: Virulent Properties and Agricultural Applications by Elizabeth Gerdes, et al. 

6. Comparative genomics of the emerging human pathogen Photorhabdus asymbiotica with the insect pathogen Photorhabdus luminescens by Paul Wilkinson, et al. 

7. Nematode via Encyclopedia Britannica (online)

8. Isolation, Identification, and Molecular Characterization of Strains of Photorhabdus luminescens from infected humans in Australia by M.M. Peel, et al.

9. Photorhabdus Species: Bioluminescent Bacteria as Human Pathogens? by John G. Gerrard, Samantha McNevin, David Alfredson, Ross Forgan-Smith, and Neil Fraser

10. Human infection with Photorhabdus asymbiotica: an emerging bacterial pathogen by John Gerrard, Nicholas Waterfield, Renu Vohra, and Richard ffrench-Constant

11. A Review of Clinical Cases of Infection with Photorhabdus Asymbiotica by John G Gerrard and Robert P Stevens

12. Shiloh Pittsburg Landing via American Battlefield Trust

13. Neonatal Bacteremia and Cutaneous Lesions Caused by Photorhabdus luminescens: A Rare Gram Negative Bioluminescent Bacterium by Ankhi Dutta, Anthony R Flores, Paula A Revell,  and Lisa Owens

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