June Medford’s biology lab at the University of Colorado, armed with a large DARPA grant and interest from the DHS, is working on making plants come to our aid yet again. The lab is working on a technology that allow genetically engineering plants to get a signal when the pollution levels are high in a particular area. The genetically altered plants would change colors, and researchers hope to use these plants in public places like airports and schools, to act as screen bombs. This plan appears to be quite ambitious, for it is hoped to be put in place in the next four years.
But this idea is not relatively new, as scientists have spent years working on making zebra fish which selectively fluoresce when they encounter particular pollutants or chemicals in water. These plants were altered by using a computer to design a genetic trait, making the plant lose it green color and adapting a different color, when in presence of a pollutant.
This technique comes with its plus and negative points. It would be rendered useless when the plants don’t react instantly and accurately. Also, the utility would be proved futile when faced in large areas with lots of human population.
Via: Discovery News
