Chinese scientists turned succulents into glow-in-the-dark, rechargeable lights that shine in a variety of colors.
These are not the first bioluminescent houseplants, Nature noted: A genetically modified petunia that glows green went on sale in the US last year.
The new work takes a different approach, enabling the plants to shine in a variety of different colors, including blue, red, and purple. To make the fluorescent succulents, the team injected the plants with phosphor particles that can absorb energy from light at one wavelength, store some of it, and then re-emit it at another wavelength, similar to how glow-in-the-dark paint works.
The researchers say they hope their technique could be used to design sustainable, plant-based lighting.
I wonder if phosphor water could be absorbed by plants via the roots so tons of plants could become bioluminescent and all of the plant people could have some Pandora-esque nighttime ambiance.
Brb, looking for phosphor powders online…
Edit: Naw, won’t work. Injection like they did is the most viable means to introduce bioluminescence… Lame.
Sadly no luck for us plant folks.
Now, if this is done in a plant that can be easily grafted onto.
