Scientists develop rechargeable, glow-in-the-dark plants

MIT engineers have created rechargeable light-emitting plants in the hope that the technology could one day replace some of today’s inefficient, energy-intensive electric lights.

Specialised nanoparticles are embedded in plant leaves, MIT explains in a news release. After 10 seconds of charging by an LED, the plants glow brightly for several minutes, and they can be recharged repeatedly.

“Creating ambient light with the renewable chemical energy of living plants is a bold idea,” MIT professor Sheila Kennedy said. “It represents a fundamental shift in how we think about living plants and electrical energy for lighting.”