A Glow-In-the-Dark Bike Path

To keep themselves and pedestrians safe, bikers need to see where they’re going–especially at night. But powering lights for a path can be complicated and expensive. One solution: this new 328-ft. (100-m) stretch in northern Poland, built by TPA Sp. z o.o. Its surface is embedded with special synthetic luminophores that absorb energy from sunlight and can glow for up to 10 hours afterward. The idea, explains Dr. Igor Ruttmar, who was in part inspired by stars in his daughter’s bedroom, is to “make the night sky down on the earth.” Although the technology is still nascent (it’s unclear how well the luminophores will hold up in winter), Ruttmar says it could apply to a range of surfaces, like landing pads for small aircraft.

–Julia Zorthian