Streetlights could be replaced by luminescent trees
Roads of the future could be lit by glowing trees instead of streetlamps, thanks to a breakthrough in creating bioluminescent plants.
Experts injected specialised nanoparticles into the leaves of a watercress plant, which caused it to give off a dim light for nearly four hours.
The chemical involved, which produced enough light to read a book by, is the same as is used by fireflies to create their characteristic shine.
To create their glowing plants, engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) turned to an enzyme called luciferase.
Luciferase acts on a molecule called luciferin, causing it to emit light.
Another molecule called Co-enzyme A helps the process along by removing a reaction byproduct that can inhibit luciferase activity.
The MIT team packaged each of these components into a different type of nanoparticle carrier.
The nanoparticles help them to get to the right part of the plant and also prevent them from building to concentrations that could be toxic to the plants.
The result was a watercress plant that functioned like a desk lamp.
FiveWordsForTheFuture - Feb 14, 2018 | Architecture, Biotechnologies, Design, Electricity, Energy, Light, nanotechnologies
Tagged | bioluminescence, light, nanotechnologies, plants
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