As he led his friends through a portal, Felix said, “Close your eyes and follow me!”
Scorch, the forever impatient one, said, “But why should we close our eyes? Wherever you are taking us, I hope we get there soon.”
“We are going to Rambouillet, a small town in France, to see something magnificent. Oh, we’re here,” said Felix, “You can open your eyes now.”
Orak, Scorch, and Verum opened their eyes. The sight that met them was otherworldly. A beautiful, tree-lined road was basking in a soft bluish glow. The light was unlike anything they had ever seen.
“Whoa,” said Orak, “Where are we? What is this? It looks magical!”
“We are at Place André Thomé et Jacqueline Thomé-Patenôtre,” replied Felix, “What you see is a new take on public lights by a company called Glowee.”
“Yeah, but what is this light made up of?” said Verum.
“It is produced by bacteria through a process called bioluminescence,” said Felix, “Have you heard of fireflies? Do you know how chemical processes produce light inside their bodies? Well, it is a natural phenomenon called bioluminescence. It occurs in various plants and creatures, including 76% of the creatures found in the deep sea. The shades of color can differ from creature to creature.
Glowee, the company I was telling you about, thought what if we use this bioluminescence to light up our public spaces instead of electricity?
LED lights consume less energy than bulbs but they still need electricity supply. To produce electricity, fossil fuels are often used which is dangerous for the environment as we have all heard.
Glowee took some bioluminescent bacteria and experimented on them. They put it in cylindrical tubes and provided it with the necessary nutrients to keep on shining. And as the French say, voila!”
“That is fascinating,” said Orak, “But there is a catch. This light looks beautiful but it isn’t as bright as regular streetlights. That can’t be safe.”
“You’re right, Orak,” said Felix, “Glowee has a long way to go. They need to find a way to increase the bacteria’s luminosity. But it’s still an important test.”