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'Mystery' of why plants never get sunburnt


Still Waters

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It would never have occurred to most of us to even wonder about it, but a group of Glasgow researchers have spent 15 years working out why plants don't get sunburnt.

'UV-B' rays - the most powerful part of the sun's rays - can damage both humans and plants.

But plants rarely show signs of sun damage, despite being out in the open all day with no access to sunscreen or protective clothing.

The researchers found that plants have evolved a way of making their own chemical 'sunscreen' within their leaves.

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  • vitruvian12

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  • voidla

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  • 27vet

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  • Khrono

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They just curl up and die ,well heat is the problem and water.Some tropical plants stand up to agressive sunlight and even survive without water. My tomatoes wilt and die in sunlight if it is very hot.Hey 15years of research. Who pays for this.We will be using sunblock for many years I think.

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Wow 15 years. Im glad all that money wasnt wasted on something frivolous, like cancer research or something like that.

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@vitruvian12 there are researchers looking at ways to cure cancer. Give it a rest. Do you want every single scientist, including plant scientists researching cancer? Right..

Back to the article, I never actually thought about plants getting sunburn. It never crossed my mind.

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@vitruvian12 there are researchers looking at ways to cure cancer. Give it a rest. Do you want every single scientist, including plant scientists researching cancer? Right..

Back to the article, I never actually thought about plants getting sunburn. It never crossed my mind.

I was using cancer as an example. Do you really think every scientist that gets research money is working on something usefull?

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I was using cancer as an example. Do you really think every scientist that gets research money is working on something usefull?

There was no reason to bring it up.

Just because not every scientists isn't researching pharmaceuticals doesn't mean finding out other areas of our world are unimportant.

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Are you guys so incredibly short sighted and ignorant? Do you lot realize that discovering how plants with 12 hour a day exposure every single day can resist the sun and never quite .... Just wait.... Cancer!? If we could reproduce this effect in humans... Once again... Wait for it... We could prevent skin cancers in humans!! Wow, novell idea right!?

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Are you guys so incredibly short sighted and ignorant? Do you lot realize that discovering how plants with 12 hour a day exposure every single day can resist the sun and never quite .... Just wait.... Cancer!? If we could reproduce this effect in humans... Once again... Wait for it... We could prevent skin cancers in humans!! Wow, novell idea right!?

I think its you that will be waiting for that result.

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Plants have to manufacture their own sunscreen because they can't go to the store and buy it. (except triffids)

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15 YEARS?

The European Union is financially strapped as well, and here they ar ewasting money on stuff like this.

The time for studies like this is when countries have the extra cash to spend.

ridiculous.

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@vitruvian12 If they can harness the natural protection plants offer, then it is a possible cure for cancer. If we can utilize something like this to protect us from the harmful rays of the sun and only gain from the sun's useful rays, then this is viable research.

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@vitruvian12 If they can harness the natural protection plants offer, then it is a possible cure for cancer. If we can utilize something like this to protect us from the harmful rays of the sun and only gain from the sun's useful rays, then this is viable research.

Protection from the suns rays isnt a cure for cancer. Its preventative. Aside from that I was only using cancer research as an example, I dont believe we should commit all resources to that area.

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Are you guys so incredibly short sighted and ignorant? Do you lot realize that discovering how plants with 12 hour a day exposure every single day can resist the sun and never quite .... Just wait.... Cancer!? If we could reproduce this effect in humans... Once again... Wait for it... We could prevent skin cancers in humans!! Wow, novell idea right!?

Exactly, well said Khrono :tu:

Edited by thedutchiedutch
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Of course plants get sunburn.. what a ridiculous notion. But when they get sunburned they actually get burned! Just put a large leafed shade plant in the sun and see what happens! Admittedly, that's more from the infrared spectrum. Chlorophyll absorbs uv - plants are made to sit in the sun. This is so stupid, really. If they're talking about cancer, forget it, plants don't get cancer because they're cells don't work the same way. Most plant cells are not pre-programmed, but are triggered when required (that's why cuttings make roots duh).

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