On other planets, plants may be red or yellow

The law that makes plants on earth appear green can also cause plants on other planets to be yellow, red or green - but rarely blue. The finding, according to NASA scientists, will help narrow the search for life on planets other than the solar system. In addition, it also provides a solution to our fundamental question of life on earth.

Vikki Meadows, director of NASA's Virtual Planetary laboratory and colleagues, first learned how light is absorbed and reflected by plants and some bacteria on the earth.

Plant chlorophyll will absorb sunlight and turn it into energy through photosynthesis. Scientists have long known that most plants on the earth absorb more than red and blue light, while keeping little green light, but they do not understand why.

New research has found that more red light reaches the earth, and blue light is most absorbable, so plants " prioritize " these two types and take advantage of them most effectively, leaving Green light becomes useless.

"Plants don't absorb green light because they have enough energy from red and blue. They simply don't need green light," the researchers said.

Trees on other planets can be red and yellow like this.
(Photo: Reuters)

As a result, plants reflect more green light, making plants look green.

On other planets, where other colors in the spectrum prevail, plants may again absorb more green (and even blue) light, reflecting off what they don't need. This effect makes plants here yellow and red .

T. An