If you're looking for an inexpensive yet effective way to light up the dark places of your shed or your children's playhouse, you may want to consider using plastic bottles filled with water as natural light bulbs.

The natural lamps — dubbed

in a feature on design blog Dornob — are made by inserting water- and bleach-filled plastic bottles through holes in a structure's roof. The bottles remain partially exposed to the elements outside, where the natural light enters and disperses within the structure.

The lighting was designed in 2002 by an engineer in Brazil who wanted to avoid working in the dark during a blackout, according to the video below. An electrical engineer quoted in the video says he measured the intensity of the light emanating from the natural lamps and found that on average they produce as much light as 50-watt incandescent light bulbs.

The Solar Bottle Lamps may not catch on in popularity in more prosperous countries like the United States, but in places where electricity is scarce or unreliable they could be a real asset. And in certain structures even in places like the U.S. — again, your shed, playhouse, etc. — they could come in handy when you don't want to have to deal with wiring or additional energy costs.

For more information, click through the above link or view the video below.

Simon A. Thalmann is the online editor for Booth Features. He can be reached at sthalmann@kalamazoogazette.com.