Chlorophyll in plants takes light from the sun and converts it into energy through a process called photosynthesis.
Scientists have long known that most plants on Earth absorb more blue and red light and less green light, but they have not understood why.
It turns out that more red light reaches plants on Earth, and blue light is the easiest to absorb. So plants make most efficient use of these two, and that leaves green light as largely superfluous.
New hue: Plants on other planets may be yellow, red | Science | Reuters