Imagine an orb that's its own ecosystem – living on just sunlight, water, and nutrients to help it thrive and grow.

That's exactly what Dino Sphere is – it's like a tiny glowing pet and ecosystem that you get to take care of and observe at the same time.

Dino Sphere can be held in the palm of your hand, and with a swirl will light up with bioluminescent dinoflagellates at night, giving off a beautiful blue glow.

Dinoflagellates, also known as sea sparkles, are a type of plankton - and although they can signal ecological problems under certain conditions, they're also incredible to look at.

The glow is caused by a type of cytoplasmic body called scintillons, which contain an enzyme that creates the blue colour.

In the Australian island of Tasmania, the blue bioluminescence caused by these sea sparkles has become a bit of an attraction, with people coming to take photos of it when they bloom.

Dino Sphere has packaged this all up into a mesmerising  sphere, so you can enjoy the beauty in your own home.

The creators say the dinoflagellates and light show will last for several months before dimming, but you can buy extra nutrients to extend the lifespan.

At ScienceAlert Academy we're offering a special deal on these Dino Spheres, at only US$49.95 for everything you need to get started.

Unfortunately this deal ships to US residents only.

Find out more about Dino Spheres here.

Price: US$49.95

This is a promotional ScienceAlert Academy post, in partnership with StackCommerce. We carefully vet all courses and products to make sure they're relevant to our readers, and make a share in the profits of any sales.