By Sara Flounders
May 13, 2026

From cities that glow at night to rice that grows in salty soil, China is opening new worlds.

A breakthrough in sustainable design has created plants that glow in the dark. This biotechnology offers a sustainable, electricity-free way to transform urban lighting.

Developed using gene-editing technology, bioluminescent plants were able to emit a soft natural glow after researchers successfully spliced light-producing genes from fireflies and luminous fungi into plant cells. (Xinhua, Dec. 12, 2025)

This is not just a fanciful, magical dream. So far more than 20 species — including orchids, sunflowers and chrysanthemums — have already been engineered to shine at night. While not yet bright enough to completely replace bright streetlights, they offer a sustainable, low-carbon alternative.

The plants were developed by Magicpen Bio, a Chinese crop seed manufacturer that engages in scientific research and development of agriculture production. The company is headquartered in Hefei, Anhui Province. Dr Li Renhan, the founder of the biotechnology company, is a Ph.D. graduate of China Agricultural University.

According to Dr. Li, the technology’s potential goes well beyond aesthetics. Bioluminescent plants could provide illumination for parks and public spaces without electricity. He described the system as highly efficient and low-carbon. Dr. Li said: “These plants don’t need electricity. They only need water and fertilizer. They save energy, reduce emissions and can light up cities at night.” He described it as “turning urban green spaces into living, bioluminescent landscapes reminiscent of the movie ‘Avatar.’”

The plants were recently demonstrated publicly at the Zhongguancun Forum, where researchers examined experimental specimens and showcased flowers emitting visible light without external power sources.

Saltwater rice

Researchers say similar techniques are already helping scientists observe how diseases develop at a cellular level, accelerating drug discovery and improving treatments for previously difficult conditions.

Gene-editing breakthroughs have crossed over into agricultural science. By editing susceptibility genes in rice, scientists have bred new strains resistant to multiple pests.

China has pioneered salt-tolerant rice strains. Developed to boost food security, these breakthroughs have successfully turned barren wastelands into productive grain fields across the country, opening millions of hectares of previously unusable land. (South China Morning Post, Oct. 14, 2022)

Commonly called “seawater rice,” the rice is not planted directly in full-strength ocean saltwater, but it can thrive in highly saline-alkaline soils or brackish waters. Researchers developed these resilient hybrids using wild salt-tolerant strains and advanced breeding techniques. Seawater rice crops also help to wash away salts and add organic matter, gradually improving the soil quality over time. Researchers are planning to have nearly 7 million hectares planted with the salt-tolerant rice in the next 8 – 10 years, enough to feed 80 million people.

Spearheaded initially by the late agricultural scientist Dr. Yuan Longping, the research has transitioned from small experimental plots to large-scale planting.

Hundreds of thousands of hectares have been planted across various provinces, including coastal areas and even arid desert regions in Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Northern China. Chinese scientists are planning to expand cultivation massively in the coming years, with ambitious goals for both domestic supply and international cooperation.

This rice strain will have an international impact. In one tidal surge, rising sea levels can ruin fertile land that millions of small farmers depend on.

Perennial rice

Rice feeds 4 billion people worldwide, but this labor-intensive crop has considerable impact on the environment. Chinese researchers have successfully unlocked “longevity genes” in rice in order to develop commercial perennial rice (PR) varieties — most notably the commercially available PR23 and PR25 strains.

By sprouting new shoots after harvest, high-yielding PR can now produce grain for eight consecutive harvests over four years from a single planting. This eliminates the need for  replanting every season. Farmers spend almost 50% less on seed, fertilizer, labor and other inputs for PR than for non-PR  rice plants. This innovation drastically reduces labor by 60% and cuts down the environmental impact.

Primarily cultivated in the Yunnan Province, perennial rice was named a top 10 scientific breakthrough in 2022 by Science magazine (Dec. 15, 2022).

China is involved in extensive sharing of technology in many scientific fields. Their development of perennial rice was part of a collaboration with The Land Institute, a nonprofit group in Salina, Kansas, interested in publicizing perennial and sustainable agriculture. (landinstitute.org)

Green walls

While glowing night plants are past the research stage, they are still at an early stage of urban use. However, other green developments are now incorporated into over 200 cities in China, implementing vertical greening and living wall strategies in urban development to counteract rapid urbanization. This includes major urban centers like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu, where living systems act to reduce concrete heat absorption, improve air quality, lower noise pollution and enhance aesthetics. (Science Direct, October 2025)

High-density living walls are integrated onto building exteriors, parking garages and underpasses to seamlessly blend nature into dense concrete environments. Green walls act as natural filters, capturing carbon dioxide and airborne pollutants while mitigating the harsh glare and heat absorption of traditional building materials. Foliage naturally absorbs and deflects sound waves. Lush greenery in concrete cityscapes is therapeutic and stress-reducing.

Living walls require sophisticated drip irrigation and precise nutrient delivery systems to thrive in highly polluted urban microclimates. This is made possible through national and local government projects and subsidies. It also involves green building codes and regulations on incorporating sustainable design into architecture. These projects reflect China’s commitment to sustainable urban development.

The walls are localized adaptations of the concept of the Great Green Wall of trees and vegetation, 3,000 miles long, planted as a massive reforestation project to push back the wind and dust storms of the expanding Gobi and Taklamakan deserts of North China. This program is entirely financed by national and local governments.

Tens of thousands of young volunteers enthusiastically travel to northern China in government-funded expeditions every year to plant trees as part of the country’s monumental Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program. Over 66 billion trees have been planted.

Why isn’t this possible in the U.S.?

How are all of these projects not only possible but part of the national culture in China? Why aren’t any of these projects even on the agenda in the U.S. today?

China is a vast country that 100 years ago was in ruin, due to imperialist looting, with uncontrolled flooding and massive famines. Hundreds of millions lacked education, healthcare and basic sanitation.

The 1949 Chinese Revolution and the mobilization of millions changed everything and continues to change China today. The difference in capacity is based on the difference between the economic systems of socialist China and capitalist U.S.

In the U.S., nearly all of the wealth is privately owned by a tiny handful of rich capitalists. Every decision, nationally and globally where these billionaires still hold their dominance, is based on what is immediately profitable. Production and investment are driven by market cycles of boom and bust.

In China, the overwhelming majority of the resources are socially owned and by law are to be used for the development of the whole nation. Private companies do exist and can make controlled profits, but they are not the deciders. The whole population benefits from production decisions that are planned to meet human, environmental and future development needs.

This is a living, evergreen process.