Autumn colors are why I would make an horrible biologist.
Instead of delving into the nuances of cholorophyll and all the rest, I'm far more interested in taking in the majesty and poetry of the annual fall tapestry.
And yet the knowledge that there is a discernible and discoverable science behind that tapestry only adds to the sheer wonder that is this divine creation we call Earth.
(Now, why is the answer to life, the universe, and everything 42? :D )
I certainly enjoy the colors. They are very mesmerizing and the natural mosaic of the fall does spur a sense of nostalgia. Learning about why this happens, I guess from my perspective, adds its own beauty. It's sort of like understanding the artist's method. Unlike post-modern art which may take a lot (A LOT) of reach to figure out what the intent is, nature has a more logical flow to the way that it does what it does. Finding out that explanation makes sense of what I'm seeing and it gives me more appreciation for the work and the artist.
42 huh? I'll meet your 42 with 57. Why? Not sure, 🤷♂️ I am wondering where that 42 came from and I hope it's not a pop cultural reference that's going over my head!
Douglas Adams Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. In the series, Earth is found to be a giant supercomputer designed to find the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything....the answer to which the supercomputer Deep Thought had calculated to be 42.
(Yes, a pop culture reference, but even worse, British humor!)
Ugh, of course!! I remember watching that film when I was younger and enjoying it. I've been meaning to read the actual novel but it's voluminous and that has been a barrier but I should really try to make some earnest attempt at some point!
Nicely presented. I found myself consolidating a number of different traditions while reading the article. It’s important that we are reminded that events are not random nor are they generally singular and unrelated.
I have notice through several decades that my sugar maples product different Fall colors depending on the heat and rainfall of the Summer. Thanks, I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and break from the broken immune systems and illness. Although the article did relate to nutrition and free radicals. Everything comes full circle.
Like I commented to Peter it's almost like understanding the method behind the artist so to speak. Understanding where these colors comes from provides an interesting perspective and window into how nature works and does it's thing.
Heat and rainfall certainly are factors in the changing leaves. In Archetti, et. al.'s review they comment that even transplanted plants show color changes at similar times to their native region which suggests a strong genetic component. However, environmental cues and stressors are likely to upregulate gene expression that creates that variability, such that seasons with more intense fall sunlight may encourage the production of photoprotective pigments, or lack of nutrients may signal more conservation early on.
I was wondering if I should have included that section on human research, but I ended up adding a few notes just to highlight the fact that we use those same nutrients in many of the same ways that plants do. Carotenoids and anthocyanins may act as antioxidants for both plants and ourselves and it's always good to have that perspective. We tell people that they need to eat fruits and vegetables in order to be healthy yet we tend to forget to explain the nuances of nutrients and how they aid in our well-being, as well as how those same mechanisms may have evolved in plants to serve the same purpose.
I think it's important when considering the bad rep that supplements get as being ineffective while we tell people fruits and vegetables are great. It's not the plants having some unknown benefit but the compounds in those plants that we utilize, and therefore there is likely to be shared mechanisms within supplements and fruits and vegetables that we consume.
Autumn colors are why I would make an horrible biologist.
Instead of delving into the nuances of cholorophyll and all the rest, I'm far more interested in taking in the majesty and poetry of the annual fall tapestry.
And yet the knowledge that there is a discernible and discoverable science behind that tapestry only adds to the sheer wonder that is this divine creation we call Earth.
(Now, why is the answer to life, the universe, and everything 42? :D )
I certainly enjoy the colors. They are very mesmerizing and the natural mosaic of the fall does spur a sense of nostalgia. Learning about why this happens, I guess from my perspective, adds its own beauty. It's sort of like understanding the artist's method. Unlike post-modern art which may take a lot (A LOT) of reach to figure out what the intent is, nature has a more logical flow to the way that it does what it does. Finding out that explanation makes sense of what I'm seeing and it gives me more appreciation for the work and the artist.
42 huh? I'll meet your 42 with 57. Why? Not sure, 🤷♂️ I am wondering where that 42 came from and I hope it's not a pop cultural reference that's going over my head!
Douglas Adams Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. In the series, Earth is found to be a giant supercomputer designed to find the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything....the answer to which the supercomputer Deep Thought had calculated to be 42.
(Yes, a pop culture reference, but even worse, British humor!)
Ugh, of course!! I remember watching that film when I was younger and enjoying it. I've been meaning to read the actual novel but it's voluminous and that has been a barrier but I should really try to make some earnest attempt at some point!
Each book is a quick read. Enjoy
You should definitely read the books. They are hilarious!
The best of British humor, at that!
Nicely presented. I found myself consolidating a number of different traditions while reading the article. It’s important that we are reminded that events are not random nor are they generally singular and unrelated.
I have notice through several decades that my sugar maples product different Fall colors depending on the heat and rainfall of the Summer. Thanks, I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and break from the broken immune systems and illness. Although the article did relate to nutrition and free radicals. Everything comes full circle.
Thank you Dr. Linda,
Like I commented to Peter it's almost like understanding the method behind the artist so to speak. Understanding where these colors comes from provides an interesting perspective and window into how nature works and does it's thing.
Heat and rainfall certainly are factors in the changing leaves. In Archetti, et. al.'s review they comment that even transplanted plants show color changes at similar times to their native region which suggests a strong genetic component. However, environmental cues and stressors are likely to upregulate gene expression that creates that variability, such that seasons with more intense fall sunlight may encourage the production of photoprotective pigments, or lack of nutrients may signal more conservation early on.
I was wondering if I should have included that section on human research, but I ended up adding a few notes just to highlight the fact that we use those same nutrients in many of the same ways that plants do. Carotenoids and anthocyanins may act as antioxidants for both plants and ourselves and it's always good to have that perspective. We tell people that they need to eat fruits and vegetables in order to be healthy yet we tend to forget to explain the nuances of nutrients and how they aid in our well-being, as well as how those same mechanisms may have evolved in plants to serve the same purpose.
I think it's important when considering the bad rep that supplements get as being ineffective while we tell people fruits and vegetables are great. It's not the plants having some unknown benefit but the compounds in those plants that we utilize, and therefore there is likely to be shared mechanisms within supplements and fruits and vegetables that we consume.
Gorgeous, and due to a known biological mechanism. 🌈💕