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Imagine if your patio furniture could light up the yard without batteries or electricity. Bioluminescent lumber, straight out of a science-fiction flick, might be possible at some point in the future. Researchers in Switzerland at Empa, a company conducting cutting-edge materials and technology research, have developed a way to produce wood that glows in the dark using a certain type of fungus. Learn how this wood was discovered, how it may be used someday as an eco-friendly home product, and the pros and cons of such a material.
What Is Bioluminescence?
If you’ve ever chased fireflies, then you are familiar with bioluminescence. This fascinating scientific phenomenon involves the production and emission of light by a living organism, says the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There are thousands of bioluminescent organisms, including bacteria; fungi; and species of fish, squid, and jellyfish. Many creatures use this feature to scare away predators, attract prey, and communicate with other members of the species.
The light, which is often green or blue, is produced by energy released from chemical reactions occurring inside or by the organism itself. For this to happen, the organism needs to have luciferin, a molecule that reacts with oxygen to create a beautiful light.
How Scientists Developed Bioluminescent Wood
The green glowing wood is a result of interweaving a certain type of bioluminescent mushroom with pieces of balsa wood to create what the scientists call a “natural biohybrid,” which is a combination of living materials. After testing different bioluminescent mushrooms, the team discovered that ringless honey fungus (Desarmillaria tabescens) did a great job of producing luciferin, which is needed for bioluminescence.
They also found that soaking the wood in water for 3 months at a specific moisture level was necessary to produce the reaction. Then when the wood came into contact with air, a chemical reaction was triggered after 10 hours and the wood illuminated a bright green color. The glow lasted about 10 days.
Potential Benefits and Uses of Bioluminescent Lumber
To understand how bioluminescent wood could be used in the future, it’s important to review why the research team chose to focus on this material in the first place. The goal at Empa is to advance materials that are more sustainable and have smart capabilities, such as the ability to change their state, respond to their environment as needed, and heal themselves.
Bioluminescent wood has the potential to be a sustainable lighting option that can ultimately save energy. The researchers envision the wood being used to produce lamps and other products that light up without the need to plug them in and consume electricity. According to their research paper, “Utilizing bioluminescence to illuminate our homes and communities would result in energy savings and a reduction in CO2 emissions.” Another potential benefit pointed out by the team is how the wood could help reduce evening light pollution.
Possible Drawbacks
Of course, with any new discovery or development of advanced materials, there are some concerns to consider. First of all, the wood only stays illuminated for 10 days. While this may change in the future with tweaks to the process, the wood’s light has too brief a lifespan for practical everyday use. However, scientists are working on expanding this time frame in the lab.
Another concern is how long the mushroom and wood need to be incubated together for the light-producing reaction to occur. Three months is a long time to wait when manufacturing products. And the environment in which this soaking occurs needs to be maintained at specific moisture levels, making it a cumbersome process overall.
What’s Next for the Technology?
While this is an exciting breakthrough, don’t expect to see naturally illuminated fences, furniture, and lampposts just yet. Researchers continue to work on tweaking the process in the lab to enhance the intensity and length of the bioluminescence of the wood. We’ll continue to monitor their developments in hopes that sustainable products using bioluminescent lumber will be available on a broad scale soon.
