Scientists Create Succulents That Glow in the Dark, "Charge" in the Sun, Cost Around R$ 8, Maintain Intense Glow for 15 Days, and Could Replace Street Lights

Scientists Create Succulents That Glow in the Dark, “Charge” in the Sun, Cost Around R$ 8, Maintain Intense Glow for 15 Days, and Could Replace Street Lights

Written by Felipe Alves da Silva

Published on 28/08/2025 at 20:02

Be the first to react!

Chinese Researchers Developed Plants That Can Emit Light in Multiple Colors After a Few Minutes of Solar Exposure, With Potential to Replace Street Lights in Sustainable Lighting Systems

Scientists from South China Agricultural University announced the creation of succulents that glow in the dark after receiving sunlight, in a process that takes only a few minutes and costs about R$ 8 per plant. The study was published in the scientific journal Matter, by Cell Press, last Wednesday (8/27).

The plants were treated with a liquid containing microparticles of phosphorus, responsible for absorbing energy and releasing it slowly in the dark. As a result, the leaves begin to emit varied colors like green, blue, red, and even golden tones, maintaining an intense glow for up to two hours before needing another solar exposure.

According to researchers, the effect can be reactivated daily and remains stable for more than 15 days, creating an innovative and low-cost solution that could potentially be applied in projects for sustainable urban lighting.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

How Artificial Bioluminescence Works

The microparticles used are about 7 micrometers in size, equivalent to the diameter of a red blood cell. This size was essential for the compound to spread evenly in the leaf tissues without causing damage to the plants.

The mechanism is similar to that used in glow-in-the-dark toys but adapted for plants. Unlike previous research, such as the Firefly petunia developed in 2024 through genetic engineering, the new method is cheaper and allows for glowing in multiple colors.

In tests, a wall formed by 56 luminescent succulents was capable of illuminating nearby objects and even allowing reading in dark environments. According to scientists, this demonstrates the scalability potential of the technique.

From the Laboratory to the Streets

Researcher Shuting Liu, one of the study’s authors, stated that the result was surprising, highlighting how a material created in a laboratory was able to integrate naturally into the plant structure. “I think it’s just amazing that a material entirely made by humans, on a microscale, can fit so perfectly with the natural structure of a plant. The way it integrates is almost magical. It creates a special kind of functionality. Imagine the world of Avatar, where glowing plants illuminate an entire ecosystem,” he said.

The immediate application is primarily aesthetic, but experts believe that luminous trees and shrubs could replace public lighting poles in the future, reducing energy costs and minimizing environmental impacts.

The information was released by Metropoles, based on data from the journal Matter and official statements from South China Agricultural University.

Limitations and Next Steps of the Research

Despite the excitement, the process still needs to be applied leaf by leaf, which limits its practicality on a large scale. In addition, although short- and medium-term tests have not indicated damage to the plants, studies are still lacking to assess potential long-term effects.

Another point under analysis is the durability of the glow. Although it remains intense for up to two hours after each “solar recharge,” it tends to weaken over the days, requiring periodic reapplications of the compound.

Even with these restrictions, scientists highlight that the method could pave the way for new bioillumination technologies, integrating science, sustainability, and urban landscaping into a single system.

Would you like to see luminous plants replacing streetlights in the future? What do you think about this idea of sustainable lighting?

Scientists Create Succulents That Glow in the Dark, “Charge” in the Sun, Cost Around R$ 8, Maintain Intense Glow for 15 Days, and Could Replace Street Lights

Chinese Researchers Developed Plants That Can Emit Light in Multiple Colors After a Few Minutes of Solar Exposure, With Potential to Replace Street Lights in Sustainable Lighting Systems

How Artificial Bioluminescence Works

From the Laboratory to the Streets

Limitations and Next Steps of the Research

Gaddafi built the world’s largest artificial river under the Sahara — it’s 4,000 km of giant pipes that pump 40,000-year-old fossil water to entire cities in Libya.

Discovery in Africa scares even scientists: a study published on April 23 reveals that the crust in Turkana has become so thin that it could pave the way for the continent’s division and the emergence of an ocean in the future, in a gigantic geological transformation.

Austria inaugurates Europe’s first high-speed railway outside China — trains travel at 250 km/h through 33 km tunnels in the Alps that took 27 years to drill

An unmanned Russian ship has been drifting in the Mediterranean for 57 days with 60,000 tons of gas — the second towing attempt has just failed.

2 scientists analyzed in a new study whether the construction of a mega dam in the Bering Strait could be the last barrier against climate collapse, to protect one of the world’s most important ocean currents.

An MIT startup is betting on superhot geothermal in Oregon and building the world’s first plant of its kind, targeting rocks above 300°C to generate 50 MW by 2030 and expand the project to 250 MW with few wells.

5 wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing cars that hid absurd mechanics, from a sedan with a Ferrari V8 and a Toyota with a twin-turbo 2JZ to a Saab wagon that gave Porsches a run for their money and the brutal Lotus Carlton disguised as an Omega

End of the 6×1 work schedule could expand women’s access to the labor market, says minister, linking a shorter workweek, two days of rest, and combating the overburdening of women to greater dignity and equal pay in the country.

Women experience a “7×0 schedule” in care work, dedicating almost 10 more hours per week to home and family, and sustaining an invisible routine that extends across holidays, weekends, and mental health.

Smart bin in London tracked pedestrians’ cell phones, used WiFi to measure urban circulation, raised a privacy alert, and showed how a simple bin can become a street spy.

Scientists Create Succulents That Glow in the Dark, “Charge” in the Sun, Cost Around R$ 8, Maintain Intense Glow for 15 Days, and Could Replace Street Lights

Chinese Researchers Developed Plants That Can Emit Light in Multiple Colors After a Few Minutes of Solar Exposure, With Potential to Replace Street Lights in Sustainable Lighting Systems

How Artificial Bioluminescence Works

From the Laboratory to the Streets

Limitations and Next Steps of the Research

Gaddafi built the world’s largest artificial river under the Sahara — it’s 4,000 km of giant pipes that pump 40,000-year-old fossil water to entire cities in Libya.

Discovery in Africa scares even scientists: a study published on April 23 reveals that the crust in Turkana has become so thin that it could pave the way for the continent’s division and the emergence of an ocean in the future, in a gigantic geological transformation.

Austria inaugurates Europe’s first high-speed railway outside China — trains travel at 250 km/h through 33 km tunnels in the Alps that took 27 years to drill

An unmanned Russian ship has been drifting in the Mediterranean for 57 days with 60,000 tons of gas — the second towing attempt has just failed.

2 scientists analyzed in a new study whether the construction of a mega dam in the Bering Strait could be the last barrier against climate collapse, to protect one of the world’s most important ocean currents.

An MIT startup is betting on superhot geothermal in Oregon and building the world’s first plant of its kind, targeting rocks above 300°C to generate 50 MW by 2030 and expand the project to 250 MW with few wells.

Climate change and pollution elevate heart risks: analysis with over 8 million people links extreme heat to 7.5% more complications and 9.5% more deaths, while pollutants already appear in 13% of cardiovascular deaths.

An online tool recreates the position of your house on Earth over up to 320 million years and shows how tectonic plates, lost continents, and geological collisions changed the planet’s map up to the present day.

China proposes to transform the rarefied atmosphere of Mars into electricity, heat, and fuel with CO₂, nuclear microreactors, and a Sabatier reactor, in a study that could reduce dependence on cargo sent from Earth and pave the way for more autonomous human missions.

The USA approves a 1,200 MW pumped-hydro plant with a 40-year license and prepares a hydro megabattery to store wind and solar energy for up to 12 hours in Washington.

5 wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing cars that hid absurd mechanics, from a sedan with a Ferrari V8 and a Toyota with a twin-turbo 2JZ to a Saab wagon that gave Porsches a run for their money and the brutal Lotus Carlton disguised as an Omega

End of the 6×1 work schedule could expand women’s access to the labor market, says minister, linking a shorter workweek, two days of rest, and combating the overburdening of women to greater dignity and equal pay in the country.

Women experience a “7×0 schedule” in care work, dedicating almost 10 more hours per week to home and family, and sustaining an invisible routine that extends across holidays, weekends, and mental health.

Smart bin in London tracked pedestrians’ cell phones, used WiFi to measure urban circulation, raised a privacy alert, and showed how a simple bin can become a street spy.