Bacteria-Powered Light Bulb

Bacteria is experiencing a boost in their life. Just recently, microorganisms have been used to make a better sunscreen. Another bright idea comes from scientists who are using bacteria as the key ingredient in a biological light bulb that requires no electricity reated by three undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the so-called Bio bulb will include a genetically engineered species of E. coli bacteria, the kind living inside the intestines of humans and other animals. Normally, these bacteria don’t glow in the dark, but researchers plan to introduce a loop of DNA to the microbes that will give them the genes for bio luminescence. The bacteria will glow like lightning bugs, jellyfish and bio luminescent plankton.

Researchers say they plan on experimenting with different bio luminescence proteins to determine which species’ native genes produce the best glow. ”We also plan to experiment with techniques to combat mutation in the plasma, different colored light emission, and different triggers for the activation of the glowing bacteria,”