Bioluminescent Plants as Urban and Domestic Lighting Solutions
Thought
Contemplating a merger between synthetic biology and urban infrastructure to provide eco-friendly light sources.
Note
Using bioluminescence from genetically modified plants for urban and domestic lighting.
Analysis
The prospect of utilizing bioluminescence, a natural phenomenon exhibited by organisms like fireflies and certain jellyfish, presents an opportunity to integrate living light sources within urban and domestic environments. By applying synthetic biology techniques, it may be possible to create genetically modified plants that emit a steady glow. This could reduce electricity consumption, lower carbon footprints, and provide a unique aesthetic. However, numerous scientific, ethical, and practical concerns would need to be addressed, such as the impact on ecosystems, the control of genetic material, and the adequate generation of light.
Arthur Koestler's concept of bisociation relates here, as this idea connects two seemingly unrelated matrices of thought — urban lighting and living organisms that emit light naturally — to create a novel synthesis that could innovate how we light our cities.
Books
- "Bioluminescence: Chemical Principles And Methods" by Osamu Shimomura
- "Synthetic Biology - A Primer" by Paul S. Freemont, Richard I. Kitney
- "Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves" by George M. Church and Ed Regis
- "Learning from the Octopus: How Secrets from Nature Can Help Us Fight Terrorist Attacks, Natural Disasters, and Disease" by Rafe Sagarin
Papers
- "Targeted Integration of a Superluminous Luciferase Reporter Gene for Cell-Based Bioluminescence Imaging" by Takashi Hirano, Koji Tsuboi
- "Next-generation strategies for understanding and influencing source-sink relations in crop plants" by L. Chaerle, D. Van Der Straeten
Tools and Products
- CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology
- Bioluminescent reporter systems in molecular biology
Services or other Objects
- Glowing Plant: a biotechnology company that attempted to create glowing plants using Kickstarter for funding.