Glowing Bacteria Helps Detect Explosives

Inhabitat reports that scientists at the University of Edinburgh have created a strain of bacteria that glows green when in the presence of explosives. This special bacteria could be sprayed on top of mine fields to make detection easier and safer.

They explain:

The new strain was produced using a technique called BioBricking, wherein strands of bacterial DNA can be manipulated to express desired traits. The bacteria are cheap, can be easily mass produced, and offer tremendous advances over the cost of removing a land mine using conventional detectors, which can range from $300 to $1,000.

Our only concern is that great care must be taken when blanketing areas with the bacteria, such that their spread doesn’t amount to an act of biological warfare in and of itself.

Inhabitat: “Scientists Create Bacteria that Glows to Reveal Land Mines”