Not fake, not AI: These glowing plants are 100% real
Scientists in China grow real glowing succulents using afterglow materials, creating multicolor bioluminescent plants that recharge with light.
Although these plants resemble something out of a fantasy film or an AI image generator, they’re real—and were cultivated by scientists at South China Agricultural University, located in Guangzhou, China.
If you’re looking to add a bit of natural light (wink wink) to your home or garden, these might be a good option.
A recent study published in Matter explored the limits of developing bioluminescent plants, noting that controlling brightness and color remains a major challenge. The authors also aimed to overcome the issue of having only a small number of genetic markers for bioluminescence.
To test a new approach, the team introduced what they call “afterglow materials” into succulent plants to see if they could create a brighter plant with more controllable growth.
They chose Echeveria ‘Mebina’ for its compact microstructure and abundant intercellular spaces, which help transport larger particles efficiently—resulting in uniform, enhanced, multicolor luminescence.
Their experiment worked remarkably well. The succulent outperformed previous attempts that had centered on genetic modification, producing brightly luminescent plants that recharge with sunlight. For the first time, they successfully displayed multicolor luminescence, showcasing vibrant hues of green, blue, red, and violet.
How long do they glow?
Although the plants can recharge in the sun, the current prototype only provides about 10 minutes of continuous lighting after recharging. However, the researchers noted that direct sunlight isn’t necessary; indoor white light was sufficient to recharge the plants, making them more versatile for everyday indoor environments.
Nevertheless, the authors argue that their discoveries could help propel further development in “sunlight-powered, high-brightness, multicolor luminescent plants using large-sized, micron-scale afterglow particles,” in a cost-effective way.
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