While the idea isn’t new—in the 1980s researchers in San Diego inserted a firefly gene into tobacco plants—Shuting Liu, a lab affiliate and the first author of the paper, injected the plants with phosphorescent material, strontium aluminate.
Initially, Liu had limited success with plants like bok choy and photos, which yielded “blotchy results.” Intercellular channels in common house succulent Echeveria Mebinato produced a better, more even glow. . “Within just a few seconds, an entire leaf was shimmering,” she said. “I was struck by how beautiful it looked, almost like glowing emeralds.”
The findings were published in a recent issue of the peer-review journal, Matter.