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From the Archives: What Will Plants Be Like on Alien Worlds?
Jun 7, 2024
Exploring the potential for photosynthesis on exoplanets, considering adaptation to different light emissions. Rethinking habitable zones for alien life, searching for signs of life beyond Earth's traditional parameters, and being open-minded about different forms of life.
08:31
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Quick takeaways
- Plants on exoplanets may not be green due to different light absorption adaptations.
- Researchers suggest redefining habitable zones based on starlight intensity and atmospheric factors for potential plant life.
Deep dives
Possibility of Alien Plants on Exoplanets
Exoplanets offer the potential for the development of plant life, with various conditions conducive to supporting simple plants like moss, algae, and lichen. Unlike Earth where plants primarily use chlorophyll absorbing light in the spectrum from violet to orange-red, plants on exoplanets around red dwarf stars might adapt differently. Researchers, including biologist Christopher Duffy and physicist Thomas Hallworth, speculate on how extraterrestrial photosynthesis could function under unusual conditions, suggesting that organisms could absorb dim light beyond 700 nanometers but might struggle with oxygenic photosynthesis.
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