Read on Twitter
If the Sun peaks in the green, then why do plants REFLECT the green away?
That's a question I often get when I tell people that the sun is "green". A question to which science didn't have a proper answer until now:
So WHY GREEN?
#Science https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-are-plants-green-to-reduce-the-noise-in-photosynthesis-20200730/
That's a question I often get when I tell people that the sun is "green". A question to which science didn't have a proper answer until now:
So WHY GREEN?
#Science https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-are-plants-green-to-reduce-the-noise-in-photosynthesis-20200730/
The general gist is this: Evolution cares less about efficiency than it does about stability.
Reflecting a significant amount of green light (still only about 10 percent) is a way to regulate noisy changes in flux (e.g. as the sunlight comes in and out of sight under a canopy)
Reflecting a significant amount of green light (still only about 10 percent) is a way to regulate noisy changes in flux (e.g. as the sunlight comes in and out of sight under a canopy)
This noise can result in very negative effect like the generation of free-radicals. Overall, being able to get the most steady absorption of sunlight, rather than the strongest, is best for our plants.
What's wild is that their model applies to OTHER organisms!
What's wild is that their model applies to OTHER organisms!
Some purple bacteria that also use photosynthesis can have their colour explained by this framework given the wavelengths of light available in their environment!
This science was developed by physicists and biologists teaming up!
Shout out to interdisciplinary science!
This science was developed by physicists and biologists teaming up!
Shout out to interdisciplinary science!
