Researchers in China have developed fantastic glow-in-the-dark succulents that light up like miniature Chinese lanterns. They did so by loading the plants’ leaves with special bright colored particles, called afterglow phosphor particles. These particles can also absorb light from the sun or interior lamps, and slowly release it, causing the plant to glow for up to two hours. It glows much brighter and for much longer than previous attempts at creating glowing plants. One day, the researchers believe, this could result in sustainable plant-based lighting for homes, gardens and, perhaps, city streets.
Breakthrough in Creating Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents
As per Live Science, Shuting Liu at the South China Agricultural University is heading the team of researchers conducting the study. The entire leaf began to glow soon after the particles were injected, Liu said. Earlier efforts using genetic engineering or tiny nanoparticles generated only faint light that soon dimmed.
The breakthrough came when the researchers followed up with particles the size of a human red blood cell (6-8 micrometres). They were large enough to glow brightly but small enough to travel through the plant.
A Sustainable Future with Plant-Based Lighting
Researchers used Echerveria, known as Mebina (succulents), whose blue-green and plump leaves are red-tipped. Succulents outperformed the other types of plants. This also included bok choy and golden pothos. This might be because of the relatively large gaps in between the cells of the succulent tissues, which generate the dust clouds. The dust scatters without hitting anything along the way.
Within minutes, the succulents were glowing strongly enough to hold their own alongside a small night lamp. The green particles glowed the brightest, but the researchers also made multi-coloured glowing plants in blue, red, and violet. The union of technology and biology had produced something entirely new and gorgeous.
Scientists think that glowing plants could be a low-carbon replacement for electric lighting. Sometime in the future, trees or indoor plants could be “charged” by the sun during the day and glow all night, adding sustainable Decor and practical lighting.
