Rainbow Vision: Marine Algae Can Detect Orange, Green And Blue Light
Monday, February 24, 2014 - 20:10
in Biology & Nature
A new study has found that several types of aquatic algae can detect orange, green and blue light. Land plants have receptors to detect the common visual optical wavelengths in the air, light on the red and far red of the spectrum. That allows them to sense the light and move and grow as their environment changes, such as when another plant shades them from the sun. But the ocean is a different environment. Water absorbs red wavelengths and reflects colors such as blue and green. As part of the study, and the team sequenced about 20 different marine algae and found they were capable of detecting not only red light, but also many other colors. read more