Imagine a sea of glowing blue lights pulsing to the beat of the music. But instead of glow sticks filled with toxic chemicals, the luminescence comes from living algae, shimmering on demand.

In a new study published May 6 in Science Advances, CU Boulder researchers and collaborators unveil a new technology that could make it possible. They’ve successfully turned on the “light switch” in algae and kept them lit up using simple chemical solutions. The finding opens the door for future technologies such as autonomous robots that can operate in dark environments and living sensors for water quality.

“This project was a moonshot idea,” said Wil Srubar, professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. “I was curious if we could create a world in which we don’t use electricity but rather use biology to produce light. This discovery really paves the way for engineering other living light materials and devices.”

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