Shining a Light on Plants' Quantum Secret to Boost Photosynthesis
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 15:42
in Physics & Chemistry
In less than one billionth of a second, plants from algae to redwoods transform 95 percent of the sunlight that falls on them--10 17 joules per second bathe the planet--into energy stored chemically as carbohydrates. The quantum key to doing that lies in a phenomenon known to physicists as quantum coherence, according to new research published in Nature on February 4. ( Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.) [More]