In front of a 9.5-meter ocean cliff at Qingdao Underwater World, the dazzling Fluorescent Galaxy Waterfall is flowing. The spectacle is made possible through the luminescent bacteria cultivation technology provided by the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone's Shenbi Biology.

The Fluorescent Galaxy Waterfall at Qingdao Underwater World. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

The firm's Deep Sea Elf bacterial cultivation technique is also applied in gene-edited self-luminescent plants. By transferring light-emitting genes from fireflies and glow mushrooms into plant cells, the firm has recreated the enchanted flora seen on the blockbuster film "Avatar," achieving China's first high-brightness night-glow plants in 2024.

Current applications of this technology include modified sunflowers and petunias, with R&D expanding to more species. This stable, scalable technology bridges lab research and public experience, lowering costs for future cultural tourism projects.

The team envisions that the technology's future application scenarios will include home potting for balcony decor or bedside nightlights, replacing energy--intensive lighting in municipal greenery, and tourism landscapes with large-scale "Avatar"--like bio-glowing parks.

Based in Zhong'an Chuanggu Technology Park within the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, Shenbi Biology benefited from the zone's rent-free lab space and government-supported academic partnerships with the University of Science and Technology of China and Hefei University of Technology. This model helped establish the world's first fully independent IP bioluminescent plant system within one year.

As a key hub on the G60 Science and Innovation Corridor in the Yangtze River Delta region, the zone hosts over 700 biomedical firms, accounting for 60% of city's total. It is also home to more than 50 medical innovation platforms. From lamp-replacing plants to oceanic light waterfalls, Shenbi Biology's gene-editing advances are shining brightly across labs and landscapes, turning cinematic fantasy into green reality.