Bionic Roses are Literal Power Plants

Researchers used a conductive polymer to create "wired" roses. (Credit: Linköping University) Researchers have created simple electronic components inside the stems and leaves of living roses, using the rose’s own vascular system to produce working wires and even simple display devices. By adding a specialized polymer to roses' xylem, researchers electronically "wired" roses without disrupting the plant's ability to transport water and nutrients. Though plants with built-in electronic circuitry are still in their early days of development, researchers envision a day when these cyborg plants give feedback about their health and even display that information on their leaves — like a simple screen — for farmers to read.