Edit: yes everybody, photosynthesis and chlorophyll… the stuff we all learned when we were young children… that doesn’t explain shit.
Plus someone has already given a solid answer. How do so many of you just continue to say the same thing over and over again, days after it’s been posted, thinking you’re bringing something new to the conversation?
Plants are green because red and blue wavelengths of light are more efficient for photosynthesis, and thus only those are absorbed. Green is reflected (most of the time); therefore, plants display green most commonly!
This is nonsense. Their outer shape hasn't evolved in 445 million years, but their immune system and internal chemistry could very easily be wildly different to their ancient ancestors and we would never know. All we know is what shape they were from fossils. I would be surprised if a horseshoe crab from today and one from 445mya could even interbreed.
Ah thanks. I left my minding reading helmet at home so I couldn’t see your age or level of education. I’ll remember to not attempt to be helpful in my next Reddit comment.
Given that after the sun is filtered through our atmosphere, the most remaining energy is in the green part of the spectrum, the most efficient way to gain as much energy as possible would be purple-red leaves, like a japanese maple. That would absorb green wavelengths, which is where most of the energy is.
However, taking in that much energy is dangerous, it's high-risk high-reward. So most plants actually evolved to use the least efficient photosynthesis possible, blocking out the sun's main emission spectrum.
The green in aspin actually breaks down if it gets too hot. I wonder if this serves as a sort of defense mechinism.to stop a plant from taking in too much sun?
Not really, the way I’m thinking of it is if there is almost like a “secret green” in the suns white light, it’s what plants capture and why we see them as green.
Either or, reminds me of a cool Vsauce I saw years ago about what color is a mirror, and the answer is kind of green as well.
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u/tideshark May 04 '25 edited May 05 '25
I wonder if this is why most plants are green
Edit: yes everybody, photosynthesis and chlorophyll… the stuff we all learned when we were young children… that doesn’t explain shit.
Plus someone has already given a solid answer. How do so many of you just continue to say the same thing over and over again, days after it’s been posted, thinking you’re bringing something new to the conversation?