Scientists creating a new Bacteria that lights up around Landmines.

A stunning 87 countries around the world are still littered with undetonated landmines, and their impact is devastating. Tens of thousands of people are killed or injured by mines every year, and they pose a grave threat to ecosystems and wildlife. But an unexpected solution may be on the way--scientists have developed a special kind of bacteria that actually begins to glow in the presence of landmines.

It seems like something straight out of a science fiction film, but this new bacteria is very real. According to the BBC, the “scientists produced the bacteria using a new technique called BioBricking, which manipulates packages of DNA.” The bacteria is then mixed into a colorless solution, “which forms green patches when sprayed onto ground where mines are buried.” The bacterial stew can also be dropped via airplane in extremely sensitive areas.

Then, only a few hours after it’s sprayed or dropped, the bacteria begins to glow green if it’s next to an undetonated explosive. This, of course, would be an invaluable asset in the ongoing quest to rid nations like Somalia, Bosnia, and Cambodia of their atrocious, deadly minefields.

While there’s been much experimenting with new landmine detection techniques–genetically engineered mine-sniffing rats, color changing plants, and tobacco bio-sensors, to name a few–scientists are especially optimistic about the bacteria because the solution is cheap and easy to mass produce.

Landmines are a particular threat in areas rich with biodiversity. Countries like Myanmar (Burma), Colombia, Mozambique, Cambodia and Angola . In countries such as Sri Lanka over 20 elephants each year are killed by landmines while men and women continue to die needlessly in the African nations. An estimated 1.6 million animals each year are consumed by these sleeping death traps. But now scientists have designed a new ally that will help us fight this demon- a genetically engineered bacteria that will glow around a landmine!

While previous such attempts have been made scientists claim that this time the experiment will lead to a practical solution as it is cheap to mass produce this bacteria. For nations like Somalia, Bosnia, and Cambodia, which have been plagued by landmines these bacteria could be the best gift they received in a long, long time.