Firefly Petunias: My Failed Experiment in Biotech at Home

Sunday - April 28 2024, 04:11 UTC - 6 months ago

The Firefly Petunia, a houseplant engineered with genes from bioluminescent fungi for a glow-in-the-dark effect, has experienced some shipping mishaps, but buyers have reported varying levels of success with the glow. It can take a couple of weeks for the glow to become visible, and while some buyers have not yet seen it, others have reported a strong glow in complete darkness.

Six weeks ago, I pre-ordered the "Firefly Petunia," a houseplant engineered with genes from bioluminescent fungi so that it glows in the dark. Excitement and anticipation bubbled within me as I eagerly awaited the arrival of my unique purchase. However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I unboxed my two petunias this week, only to find them in bad shape with rotted leaves. And within a day, they were dead crisps. My first attempt at biotechnology at home was a total bust, and it cost me $84, shipping included.

At first glance, the plants appeared to have arrived in good condition. The handsome black box with neon lettering was a fitting container for the living creatures within. Each of the petunias, standing at about five inches tall, was encased in a see-through plastic pod to keep them upright and safe during their journey. The back of the box was adorned with government warnings assuring me that the plants were free of Japanese beetles, sweet potato weevils, the snail Helix aspera, and gypsy moths. However, it was not until I opened the box that I realized the extent of my mistake.

As it turns out, the day that Light Bio, the startup selling the petunia, sent me an email with a UPS tracking number, was the same day I left for a week-long vacation in Florida. Unfortunately, I did not see the email in time, and even if I had, I would not have been present to receive the plants. The consequence of my untimely vacation? My petunias sat in darkness for seven days, trapped in their final sarcophagus. While I may take some of the blame for this mishap, I had no way of knowing when Light Bio would ship my order. And it seems that I am not alone in my experience. Mat Honan, the editor in chief of MIT Technology Review, also received his Firefly Petunia while he was away in Japan. Fortunately for him, a house sitter feeding his lizard discovered the package and saved the plant from an untimely demise, although it did arrive slightly neglected from its week in darkness.

But enough about the unfortunate circumstances of my petunias' arrival, what about the glow? How strong is it? According to Mat, he has yet to see any light coming from the plant, even after taking it into a completely dark bathroom. However, it appears that buyers may have to exercise patience in order to witness the full glow effect. It is the flowers of the petunia that are said to glow most brightly, and it can take a couple of weeks for them to bloom and for the glow to become visible. Kelsey Wood, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, had two flowers upon opening her package, but unfortunately, they dropped and she has not yet been able to witness the brightness. Nevertheless, Wood plans to use the plants in her classes at the university, stating that "It's been a dream of synthetic biologists for so many years to make a bioluminescent plant. But they couldn't get it bright enough to see with the naked eye." .

On the other hand, some buyers are already experiencing success right out of the box. Tharin White, publisher of EYNTK.info, a website about theme parks, reports a relatively seamless experience with his Firefly Petunia. "It had a lot of protection around it and a booklet to explain what you needed to do to help it," says White. "The glow is strong, if you are [in] total darkness. Just being in a dark room, you can't really see it. That being said, I didn't expect a crazy glow, so [it] meets my expectations." Coming from White, who has experience as a "cast member" at Disney parks and an operator of the park's Avatar ride, which is based on the movie where the flora glow, this is no small recommendation for the Firefly Petunia. These glowing plants may just be the closest we can get to the bioluminescent flora on Pandora, as featured in the popular movie, for now.