The data used came from a daily monitoring of pollution levels recorded from 2007 through 2009, as collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

FORBES: List: America's Most Polluted Cities

Since 1993, USC researchers have been testing the lung function of 3, 000 children while monitoring levels of pollution in a dozen Southern California communities.

CNN: Research finds smog could deal a blow to children's health

The finished product, if ever someone actually concocts one, could be applied across a variety of fields -- everything from pollution monitoring to medicine.

ENGADGET

It also says these same bioluminescence techniques could be used as a diagnostic indicator of pollution levels or even as a biosensor for monitoring diseases like diabetes.

CNN: Glowing bacteria could power 'bio-light'