Bioluminescence

A consortium of researchers from four European countries is developing a way to tattoo microbes on the exterior of buildings. These "living tattoos" will be able to suck carbon out of the air, protect the buildings, and even make them glow.

Imagine a glow-in-the-dark designer desk, or wooden fence posts that guide you home with their eerie light. Scientists in Switzerland have developed a way to make glowing wood, with the help of a fungus.

The USDA has approved Light Bio's "Firefly Petunias," and the company is taking US$29 pre-orders on these remarkable gene-edited houseplants. They glow in the dark, making them a captivating home decor addition for science buffs.

Art and technology have always been fundamentally intertwined, with new techniques and materials allowing artists to innovate and create new works. In this edition of our ongoing series looking at different forms of technological art, we examine the controversial and compelling arena of BioArt.

The need to minimize the energy we use need not necessarily impact adversely on the form or function of a device. This premise is elegantly demonstrated by Ambio, a "bacterial lamp" created by designer Teresa van Dongen. Ambio merges sleek design with a soft glow created by bioluminescence.

Yonder Biology is aiming to help teach children about biology with its latest mixture of art and science. The Dino Pet is a clear plastic dinosaur filled with bioluminescent algae that glow in the dark, so acts as night light as well as a fun learning tool.

The Glowing Plants Kickstarter project offers you a chance have your own bioluminescent plant and be a part of the growing DIY bio movement.

Dutch lighting giant Philips has created a home lighting system that uses bacterial bioluminescence