Scientists explored a chemical phenomenon capable of making wood glow in the dark from a process found in fungi. This reaction, known as bioluminescence, was studied by researchers from the Swiss institute ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) in a type of mushroom commonly found in nature.
Trees play an essential role in balancing Earth’s ecosystems and sustaining life. On the other hand, the use of wood in various industries contributes significantly to climate change.
For these and other reasons, scientists and companies are researching alternative uses for wood that reduce its impact on the environment. Hence, the idea of creating a type of wood that offers a bioluminescence natural.
In a study published in the scientific journal Advanced Science, researchers carried out experiments with a specific type of bioluminescent fungus: honey mushroom (Desarmillaria tabescens) . The fungus is known to rot trees and is considered a pest.
“Naturally luminous wood was first described about 2,400 years ago by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Artificially produced composite materials of this type would be interesting for many types of applications”, explains fungus researcher and associate at Empa’s Cellulose and Wood Materials laboratory, Francis Schwarze.
The process works because the fungus produces an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reactions that result in the emission of greenish light. In addition to the innovation having applications in other scientific fields, researchers believe that luminous wood can also be used in furniture making and jewelry design .
How does fungus make wood glow in the dark?
Bioluminescence, known as the ability to produce light without heat, is common in marine organisms such as jellyfish and deep-sea fish, and even insects such as fireflies. However, in the universe of fungi, there are not many identified species that present this difference – which makes it a phenomenon that is still little explored.
Scientists explain that bioluminescence in these mushrooms is directly related to the luciferase enzyme, which interacts with chemical compounds called luciferins. This process is what generates light. The wood used in the experiments was balsa wood.
In the case of bioluminescent wood, the researchers applied honey mushroom, which contains luciferin, to the surface of the material. As a result, it emits a constant glow for a relatively long period of time. Despite being subtle, the glow is easily noticeable in dark environments.
The wood transformation process takes three months during which the mushroom remains incubated in the material. After this step, the surface of the material comes into contact with air and the enzymatic reaction is activated.
Mushrooms and bioluminescence
After 10 hours of exposure to air, greenish light begins to glow . The Empa researchers managed to maintain this brightness for approximately ten days, but say they are working to optimize the method and increase the luminosity even further.
Currently, more than 70 species from the fungi kingdom have the characteristic greenish glow, called ‘foxfire’.
Although the phenomenon has been reproduced in the laboratory, Schwarze states that pieces of wood with a bioluminescence effect can also be found in nature — he highlights that it may not be so easy to find.
“The world’s largest living organism, a 2400-year-old network of honey fungi, covers an area of several square kilometers in the US state of Oregon. The largest mushroom in Europe can be found in Switzerland, in the Ofen Pass. This 1000-year-old honey fungus covers an area the size of 50 football fields,” it is described in a study release.
This content was originally published in Scientists use fungus to make wood glow in the dark; see the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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