Why green?

[rabidsamfan]

In trying to figure out what colors foliage might be on other planets, scientists stumbled onto why plants are green here. It has to do with lightwaves, which makes immense sense, even to a dilettante like me.

I love it when science proves something that seems so obvious in retrospect you bounce your hand off your forehead and say, "Duh! Why didn't I think of that!"

Comments

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

That was fascinating! I'm going to try to remember it next time I'm writing SF.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

It is tres cool, ain't it? *bounces*

[melilot-hill.livejournal.com]

I learned some of that in my biology classes in secondary school, but completely forgot about it :-)

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

I learned some of it too. I love it that plants are green because that's the color they need the least, though. *grin* And I wonder if the leaves don't go red and yellow in the fall because they're busy concentrating on the blue end of the spectrum, as the light has to go through more atmosphere when it's at an angle.