“Izitimela Ezincane” Ezikhanya Ebumnyameni
◼ Ngobusuku obuthule emaphandleni aseBrazil, kuqhamuka “isitimela” esincane ngaphansi kwezibi zasehlathini. “Izibani zangaphambili” ezimbili ezibomvu zikhanyisa indlela, kanti ezingamabhangqa angu-11 ezinombala ophuzi ngokuluhlaza zikhanyisa emaceleni. Kuyavunywa, akusona isitimela esivamile lesi. Kunalokho, iqhimiza elingamamilimitha angu-70 ubude lomndeni wamabhungezi abizwa ngokuthi ama-Phengodidae, atholakala eNyakatho naseNingizimu Melika. Ngenxa yokuthi amaqhimiza ayizinsikazi, aqhubeka eyizibungu, afana nezitimela ezikhanya ngaphakathi, ngokuvamile abizwa ngokuthi izibungu eziyizitimela. Abantu basemaphandleni aseBrazil bawabiza ngokuthi izitimela ezincane.
Emini kunzima ukulibona leli qhimiza elinsundu ngokuphaphathekile. Kodwa ebusuku likhangisa ubukhona balo ngezibani zalo ezinhle ngokumangalisayo. Lezi zibani zikhanyiswa ikhemikhali okuthiwa i-luciferin, ethi uma ihlangana neprotheni i-luciferase, ikhiphe ukukhanya okungashisi. Imibala yokukhanya ihlanganisa obomvu, owolintshi, ophuzi noluhlaza okotshani.
Izibani zangaphambili ezibomvu cishe zihlale zikhanya—kodwa hhayi ezinombala ophuzi ngokuluhlaza ezisemaceleni. Ucwaningo lusikisela ukuthi izibani zangaphambili zisiza lesi sibungu ukuba sithole ukudla kwaso esikuthandayo, amashongololo, kuyilapho izibani ezisemaceleni zidedisela kude izitha zaso, ezinjengezintuthwane, amaselesele nezicabucabu. Empeleni, lokhu kukhanya kuthi: “Suka! Anginambitheki.” Ngenxa yalokho, izibani ezisemaceleni ziyakhanya lapho isibungu sisola ukuthi kukhona isitha esithile. Ziyakhanya nalapho zihlasela amashongololo nalapho esensikazi sifukamele amaqanda aso. Ezimweni ezivamile, izibani ezisemaceleni zikhanya kakhulu bese ziyacima—ngemizuzwana nje—bese zikuphindaphinda lokhu uma kudingeka.
Yebo, ngisho nasezibini phansi ehlathini, buyamangalisa ubuhle obutholakayo, okusikhumbuza amazwi omhubi okudumisa uMdali: “Umhlaba ugcwele imikhiqizo yakho.”—IHubo 104:24.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]
Robert F. Sisson / National Geographic Image Collection