Scientists are developing a revolutionary way to light up our home without electricity. The technology is called the Biobulb, which uses living bacteria to provide illumination. It includes a genetically modified species of E. coli, a kind of microflora organisms that are usually found in our intestines. They do not normally glow in the dark but can be genetically engineered to light up naturally like fireflies, jellyfish and bioluminescent plankton. Bioluminescence is a kind of cold light in the blue and green spectrum.
The Biobulb is basically a closed ecosystem in a jar. It contains selected microorganisms, each of which plays a crucial part in the recycling of vital nutrients to keep the ecosystem in balance. Some microbes simply feed on sunlight during the day and they in turn feed the E. coli to enable them to glow at night. The idea is similar to those sealed glass spheres of self-sustained aquatic ecosystems that you can find in a novelty shop.
This is going to be a tremendously exciting breakthrough as well as a solution to help reduce electricity consumption, hence alleviating the pressing problem of global warming. The project is still in its early stage. Researchers need to work out the foolproof system to make it durable and safe to use. Equally important is to make it economically viable with widespread acceptance in the market.
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