Scientists are developing ways of making trees glow so they can be used as natural streetlights without the need for electricity. A team of researchers are experimenting with genes to allow the trait that causes fireflies to glow -bioluminescence - to be implanted into a variety of different organisms。
As well as replacing traditional streetlights, bioluminescent plants would be useful for people who are not hooked up to the electricity grid. And if more lights were ever required, they could simply be grown。
Geneticist Theo Sanderson, one of the members of the team, told New Scientist: ‘We didn't end up making bioluminescent trees, which was the inspiration for the project.‘But we decided to make a set of parts that would allow future researchers to use bioluminescence more effectively.’The team say that there is huge commercial potential in replacing the street with natural bioluminescent systems. The idea is also extremely environmentally friendly as no electricity would be required and the process which produces the photons of light is extremely energy-efficient。
The scientists have also considered the possibility that the fuel to fire the chemical reaction in the trees could come from human waste or food waste。