GLOWING TREES LIGHT UP THE STREETS

New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows the development of an idea that is focused around causing plants and trees to glow with enough natural light to brighten up a dark room or street, without the need for electricity. If the various experiments continue to prove successful it is hoped that, eventually, glowing flora could completely replace indoor and outdoor lamps and streetlights.

In order to create the glowing plants, a particular enzyme known as luciferase was used. This enzyme when acting on the molecule, luciferin, is what gives fireflies their luminescent glow. Co-enzyme A, another molecule, was used to assist the process by removing a reaction by-product that can prevent luciferase’s primary functions.

The process was started by specialised nanoparticle carriers, which are created by the combined package of each of these components, being embedded into the leaves of a watercress plant. This thereby caused the test plants to emit a dim light for up to four hours. The nanoparticle allows for each component to reach the intended section of the plant, without the plant dying.

Plant nanobionics are a new research zone, initiated by MIT professor of chemical engineering, Michael Strano, that embed plants with types of nanoparticles in order to provide plants with unique new features.

“The vision is to make a plant that will function as a desk lamp — a lamp that you don’t have to plug in,” explained Strano. “The light is ultimately powered by the energy metabolism of the plant itself.”

The MIT team’s goal is to develop plants that will supersede many functions that are currently achieved through electrical devices. Previously, the team created plants that can detect explosives, communicate information to smartphones and monitor climate conditions, droughts in particular.

By turning their attention to lighting, the team hopes to create a new phenomenon and significantly reduce global energy use, as light electricity contributes to 20 percent of the world’s energy emissions.

“Plants can self-repair, they have their own energy and they are already adapted to the outdoor environment,” Strano said. “We think this is an idea whose time has come. It’s a perfect problem for plant nanobionics.”

The team is hoping to develop a version of nanoparticles that can be painted or sprayed onto the plants leaves, thereby opening the doors for a quick and easy solution to bring light to trees throughout the world, without the need for installing completely new sets of plants.

“Our target is to perform one treatment when the plant is a seedling or a mature plant and have it last for the lifetime of the plant,” Strano explained. “Our work very seriously opens up the doorway to streetlamps that are nothing but treated trees, and to indirect lighting around homes.”

To see more about this project, check out the video below.