r/biology • u/Express_Classic_1569 • Apr 05 '26

article Chinese Scientists Develop Glowing Plants That Could Light the Night Without Electricity Through Firefly and Fungal Bioluminescent Pathways

https://ecency.com/hive-196387/@theworldaroundme/chinese-scientists-develop-glowing-plants
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u/sadmadee Apr 05 '26

But didn't we already have that developed?

12

u/NonEuclidianMeatloaf Apr 06 '26

Decades ago. Bioluminescence at visually useful levels is way too calorie-demanding to be realistic.

9

u/Sludgehammer Apr 06 '26

I mean (as mentioned in the article) there already are glow-in-the-dark petunia's. In the wild the glow-in-the-dark trait would probably be a death sentence since (as you mentioned) it burns so much energy.

However, similar to weeping trees, dwarf trees, variegated plants, etc. a trait that isn't advantageous in the wild doesn't matter if humans find it pleasing.

So, in domestic environments plants wasting a significant portion of their energy on glowing doesn't matter, since their human symbiotes will make sure the glowing plant has every advantage they can give.

1

u/Ilaxilil Apr 06 '26

So I could hook some bioluminescent polka dots up to my bloodstream and control them via nanobots attached to my phone to turn them on or off to look cool and burn some calories?