Plants Don't Like My Favorite Color

Hello Humans! Today we are going to tackle one of my most favoritest topics in all of science, EVER. It may seem quite simple to most of you, but it just gets better and better the more you look into it. So, what is the amazing topic in science that mystifies Mary? PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Most of you know it as how Plants make oxygen for us, but I know it as one of the wonders of nature. When you look at the whole cycle of Photosynthesis, not one product goes to waste. The only thing released is Oxygen, which is consumed by us, and sugar is used to build the plant and give it nutrients. Everything else is broken down, re-used, and re-purposed. Talk about not making an impact on the ecosystem. Plus, plants use the Carbon Dioxide we produce through breathing, driving, and pretty much every other reckless human act. The other really cool part is how Plants (their leaves in particular) get their green color. We know that Photosynthesis converts sunlight into food. First off, that’s really cool on its own. Second of all, the two receptors of light in the plant (called Photoreceptor II and Photoreceptor I) receive all light waves, except green, but especially the reds, oranges, and yellows, because those are the photons that are the Photoreceptors accept the easiest. The plants actually don’t accept green light waves, and reflect them instead, causing the green color to come about them.

Something else really cool about Plants and Photosynthesis is a process called, “self-prunning.” When a branch of leaves is using up more energy to stay alive than energy it makes during photosynthesis, normally caused by being in an area with a lack of sunlight, or taller trees around it, the tree will literally kill that branch to save energy. It will then grow more leaves in the areas where it gets more sunlight. That’s why some trees only have leave or branches above a certain point, or only on one side of the tree. So the next time you see a plant, thank it for giving us Oxygen, cleaning up after our excessive amounts Carbon Dioxide waste, and being the star-image of clean-energy. Stay wild, flower child.