--- title: "These Gene-Hacked Glowing Plants Look Incredible" description: "A team of scientists have gene-hacked two species of tobacco to emit a visible glow all by themselves — and around the clock." date: "2020-04-28" modified: "2020-04-28" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/gene-hacked-glowing-plants" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "bioluminescence" - "bioluminescent" - "fungus" - "tobacco" --- # These Gene-Hacked Glowing Plants Look Incredible ![A team of scientists have gene-hacked two species of tobacco to emit a visible glow all by themselves — and around the clock.]() *\Image: ScienceAlert via YouTube\* A team of Russian scientists have gene-hacked two species of the tobacco plant to emit a visible glow — around the clock, for the entire duration of their life cycle. A stunning video shows off the science fiction-like effect. https://youtu.be/01K1WlpCAC0 Scientists have coaxed other plants to glow by [injecting them with chemicals]() — but these new plants exhibit bioluminescence without such intervention, as [*ScienceAlert* points out](). The goal isn't just to light up the next greenhouse like a Christmas tree. The scientists want to learn how plants' metabolisms work by looking at the way they react to external environments. To get the plants to glow, the team used a "fungal bioluminescence system" that's capable of turning a common acid found in all plants into luciferin, the compound in organisms that can generate bioluminescence, as outlined in the scientists' [paper]() published in the journal *Nature* this week. The phenomenon is bright enough to be visible to the naked eye, but not powerful enough to read a book, according to *ScienceAlert*. The glowing effect didn't interfere with any of the plant's natural functions, including "overall phenotype, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, flowering time and seed germination," according to the paper, except for a "12 percent increase in median height of transgenic plants." The scientists have already gene-hacked other more popular flowering plants including petunias and roses. In fact, "although caffeic acid is not native to animals, autonomous luminescence could also be enabled in animals," the paper reads. **READ MORE:** [Scientists Engineer Gorgeous Glowing Plants That Shine Bright Their Entire Life Cycle]() \[*Science Alert*\] **More on glowing plants:** *[MIT Engineers Develop Glowing Plants Using Nanoparticles]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()