The science of medicine is advanced by these techniques, not by the glowing plants themselves.
The genetic engineering and nanobionics techniques used to create them are the very same technologies that are used to research and develop medical treatments and therapies.
In nanobionics, non-genetic materials are used to modify a living organism, rather than changing its genes. This approach avoids many of the complexities and costs associated with traditional genetic engineering.
The glowing succulent created by researchers at South China Agricultural University in 2025 is an example of nanobionics, in which the scientists injected phosphorescent particles into the plant's leaves. The medical applications of this research include:
Novel drug delivery methods: The techniques for inserting tiny particles into plant tissues can lead to new ways of delivering drugs into the human body.
Non-invasive sensors: Nanoparticle-based biosensors are being explored for detecting disease markers in humans.
@Northwest I appreciate this! If the article headline had said that scientists are perfecting a new nanotechnology, that would have been interesting and made me want to read it.
Instead, they give this headline that is very unimpressive considering Capitalism has been making fish "glow" by injecting them with colors for decades.
Nanotechnology is interesting, groundbreaking and the future of science.
CNN's headline was written for morons who can't handle scientific thought.
