YouTube: Euronews Next
Scientists in China are bringing Avatar’s Pandora to life by creating bioluminescent plants to replace electric street lamps.
Fireflies, otherwise known as ‘lightning bugs,’ were the inspiration behind this ambitious project that aims to make planet Earth look a lot more like the fictional world of Pandora.
Dr Li Renhan is the brains behind the operation. He founded Magicpen Bio, a biotechnology company based in China, where he combines firefly genes with those of plants to create natural light sources.
“I was born in the countryside. Back then, my family didn’t have any money, so at night I could do nothing but lie in a hammock in my grandfather’s bamboo grove to cool off. Fireflies often landed on my arms,” he told local news outlets.
YouTube: Euronews NextMagicpen Bio has already created 20 species of glowing plants by editing their genes.
Scientists say Avatar-style glowing plants could replace street lights
Dr Renhan graduated with a Ph.D from China Agricultural University, where he studied genetic editing. Using this know-how, he edited the genes of 20 plant species to make them glow in the dark, just like the magical glowing plants in James Cameron’s Avatar.
“We wanted to transfer genes from animals, like those of fireflies, into plants, so they could also glow at night,” he explained. “We’re dedicated to bringing this technology to cultural tourism and the nighttime economy. Imagine a valley filled with glowing plants in the dark, it would be like bringing the ‘Avatar’ world to Earth.”
Magicpen Bio’s bright blossoms were shown off at the Zhongguancun Forum, where sunflowers, orchids, chrysanthemums and more were glowing without any external power sources.
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Dr Renhan sees this as an environmentally friendly alternative to electric lighting, which has been scientifically proven to disrupt sleeping patterns and harm biological processes controlled by our circadian rhythms.
“Beyond tourism, we could also use them in urban parks without the need for electricity. These plants don’t need electricity. It’s a highly efficient, low-carbon system. They only need water and fertilizer. They save energy, reduce emissions, and can light up cities at night,” he added.
This is the latest scientific advancement to take place after a paralyzed army vet was able to play World of Warcraft using his mind after getting Elon Musk’s Neuralink implant.
