Glowing Plants: From Sci-Fi to Reality
Imagine walking through a park lit by glowing plants. It sounds like something out of a movie, but scientists have been making this a reality. They’ve developed plants that emit a soft glow, and now a group of researchers in China has gone even further.
These scientists have created the first multicolored, luminescent plants. “Think of the glowing plants in Avatar,” says biologist Shuting Liu from South China Agricultural University. She believes we can turn this vision into reality using materials available in labs today. Picture glowing trees replacing streetlights!
To bring these plants to life, the researchers injected Echeveria “Mebina” succulents with strontium aluminate. This is a material used in glow-in-the-dark items. Unlike traditional gene editing, this method expands the range of colors. Instead of just green, these plants can glow red, blue, and green.
Liu explains, “Our goal was to combine colorful afterglow materials with plants to create a living lamp that stores and releases light.”
In practical tests, the researchers made a green wall of 56 plants. It was bright enough to read text and see images from about 10 centimeters away. After soaking up sunlight for a few minutes, these plants could glow for up to two hours. They can recharge themselves repeatedly with exposure to sunlight, keeping their luminescence alive for days.
However, not everyone is convinced about their practical application. Biochemist John Carr from the University of Cambridge believes the technology might be too advanced for current plant capabilities. “These plants may not serve as streetlights anytime soon,” he says candidly.
Safety is also a concern. Liu acknowledged that while these plants are still far from practical lighting applications, they could serve purposes in decorative displays. The hope is that with further research, glowing plants might one day light up gardens and public spaces in a soft, inviting way.
As research continues, these plants could move beyond just being a curious innovation. They might change how we think about lighting our environments, making them both beautiful and sustainable.
For more insights on bioluminescence and its applications, you can check more details from Matter.
