The first man to follow the divine command of “let there be light” was Thomas Edison. Since then the world has come aglow with electric light, a fixture often taken for granted – that is, except for the fluorescent kinds, the ones that buzz and flicker, render the environment in an unnatural blue hue and even zap insects.

Thanks to plastics, however, the days of the buzz light could soon be over, as US scientists have developed a new polymer strip that lights up not only a room but also the faces of those yearning to do away with the fluorescent glow. Just one of the many advantages of plastics that have recently come to light…