China’s rare mineral tellurium gives blind animals ‘super vision’, offers hope for humans

Sightless mice, monkey see infrared with tellurium-powered artificial retinas, bringing scientists closer to treating blindness in people

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Tellurium, a key component of an artificial implant, helped blind mice see infrared, according to Chinese scientists. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Published: 12:00pm, 8 Jun 2025Updated: 12:09pm, 8 Jun 2025

Researchers have used a rare mineral produced mostly in China to create an artificial retina that not only restored sight in blind animals, but also gave them “super vision” – the extraordinary ability to see infrared light.

The advance offers significant promise for treating human blindness, according to scientists.

The study, led by Wang Shuiyuan, a researcher at the College of Integrated Circuits and Micro-Nano Electronics at Fudan University in Shanghai, was published in the journal Science on May 5.

The study showed how researchers harnessed the mineral tellurium to create nanowire implants used in a biocompatible device that restored vision in genetically blind mice as well as a monkey, while giving them the ability to see “invisible” light.

Tellurium, a silver-white element as rare as platinum, is a by-product of copper refining. It has excellent photoelectric properties, enabling it to convert visible light and infrared radiation into electrical energy without the need for auxiliary equipment.

Tellurium is a solid chemical element, usually produced as a byproduct of copper refining. Photo: Shutterstock

Scientists can use tellurium as a replacement for the photoreceptor cells in the retina and send electrical signals converted from light signals to the brain.