Chinese biotech startup Magicpen Bio has created plants that glow in the dark, per EuroNews.
By splicing genes from fireflies and bioluminescent mushrooms, they genetically engineered some 20 plant species, including lilies, orchids, and roses, to emit visible light, a technical feat that reportedly took ~532 rounds of iterations to achieve.
Amid climate change and rising demand for energy, Magicpen founder Li Renhan says glowing plants could one day provide an electricity-free, cost-efficient way to illuminate cities around the world.
Honestly, I have been thinking about this a bit.
The purpose of the street lamp for the most part, as opposed to carrying the lamp with you when walking or out?
The issue is that is not efficient on people, as it puts a lot on people to carry their own flashlights or whatever have you. I also think how street lamps for the most part nowadays are for cars to have more light to see.
Great points and things to think about.
Maybe the headline of the article is asking the wrong question and bioluminescent plants can supplement street lights to work with them. With solar-power charging the lights during the day and the addition of bioluminescence you could ideally save energy and still keep the night safely lit. It seem like interest in bioluminescence is only growing so it will be interesting to see how it advances and if it changes the ways people look at outdoor lighting.
This is a part of it too for me. I would love the idea of seeing more of the bioluminscence in park space scenes, third spaces, etc. Where community gather to be present with each other.
That definitely sounds like an ideal Lunarpunk future!
Great idea, though it still sounds far from now. I also hope to have a chance to get that genetic engineered glowing :)
Yeah I agree. I think the article tried to make that clear. I bought one of the Light Bio bioluminescent petunias a couple years ago and while it was pretty magical it certainly wasn’t powerful enough to be more than a bit of a night light. Considering how far engineered bioluminescence has advanced in the timeline mentioned, starting in the 80s but really picking up momentum in the last few years, hopefully it won’t be too far off before we can see improvements and get to the point that plants together could illuminate larger areas
Same. It was very cool, but… underwhelming in terms of brightness.
Wasn’t that a mini plot point in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves
