The hard cell: Scientists create living neon billboard out of millions of bacteria

• Chips made of 13,000 'biopixels' - 60 million bacteria
• 'Light' created by attaching glowing protein to cells
• Huge colonies persuaded to 'blink' in unison
• Could be used to detect poisons in the air

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, managed to 'synchronise' the biological clocks of millions of bacteria to create a 'glowing' neon-like sign that blinks off and on.

The bacteria form 'biopixels' which blink on and off like a pulsing neon sign. So far, the researchers have created glowing chips with up to 13,000 biopixels - or 60 million bacteria.

It's unclear what brands might want to associate themselves with enormous sheets of e coli bacteria on top of jelly.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, managed to 'synchronise' the biological clocks of millions of bacteria to create a 'glowing' sign that blinks off and on

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2081376/The-hard-cell-Scientists-create-living-neon-billboard-millions-bacteria.html