Glowing Flora

By day, the petunias look like normal white flowers. In the evening, they emanate a soft glow that looks like moonlight. It feels like magic but is rooted in science: The startup Light Bio spliced the petunia’s DNA with that of bioluminescent mushrooms, creating the soothing glow-in-the-dark wonder. (The plants are commercially available via Light Bio’s website, but are sold seasonally; the company is taking pre-orders for spring 2025 delivery.) “Psychologically and emotionally, we attach light with life, with spirit, with soul,” says Keith Wood, CEO of Light Bio. “We wanted to show that science can be more than just practical. We wanted to show that science can be joyful.”

Buy Now: Firefly Petunia on Light.Bio