Behind This Plant's Blue Leaves Lies a Weird Trick of Quantum Mechanics
In the fading twilight on the rainforest floor, a plant's leaves glimmer iridescent blue. And now scientists know why. These exotic blue leaves pull more energy out of dim light than ordinary leaves because of an odd trick of quantum mechanics. A team of plant scientists led by Heather Whitney of the University of Bristol in the U.K. has just discovered the remarkable origin and purpose of the shiny cobalt leaves on the Malaysian tropical plant Begonia pavonina.
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