New Study Reveals: Aliens Are Not Little Green Men — Meet the Purple People Eaters!

• Looking for life beyond our planet involves broadening the understanding of what life could entail.
• Certain exoplanets, particularly those circling colder red dwarf stars, could have plants with a purplish color instead of the green-colored flora we see on our planet.
• Research conducted at Cornell University has found that a specific violet "light signature" might suggest the presence of alien life forms.

Although the Earth is frequently referred to as "the Pale Blue Dot" because of its vast oceans, much of the planet's terrestrial areas are characterized by shades of green. Plants utilize chlorophyll (which absorbs red and blue wavelengths but reflects green) for capturing sunlight; they then employ this captured energy along with carbon dioxide and water to produce nourishment via a mechanism called photosynthesis. photosynthesis Although this fourth-grade biology class explains how most plants grow on Earth, organisms on similar planets outside our solar system—particularly those circling red dwarf stars—might employ an entirely distinct mechanism, potentially giving their environment a violet hue instead.

Researchers at Cornell University investigated how extraterrestrial flora dependent on infrared light for photosynthesis could alter the coloration of distant planets. Such types of microorganisms, including phototrophic anoxygenic species, were considered in their study. bacteria And photoheterotrophic bacteria might produce a distinct "light signature" that could potentially be detected by future observatories such as the European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope. The findings from this research have been published in a scientific journal. Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society

"Purple bacteria have the ability to flourish across various environments, which makes them strong candidates for dominant forms of life that might prevail on numerous planets," states Cornell University Ph.D. student Lígia Fonseca Coelho. stated in a press release They already flourish in specific roles here... picture how much more successful they could be without competing with green plants, algae And regarding bacteria: A red sun might provide them with the optimal conditions forphotosynthesis."

To comprehend the hue and chemical fingerprint this type of planet would exhibit, Coelho along with her team collected samples of both purple sulfur and purple non-sulfur bacteria from different locations globally—ranging from thermal vents to ponds close to Cornell University’s grounds. These microorganisms depend on lower energy radiation like red and infrared light for processes akin to photosynthesis; although these types of purple bacteria represent specialized niches presently, certain researchers speculate about their prevalence in ancient times. Earth was likely much more purple than it is today.

A A 2022 study conducted by the University of Maryland investigated the reason behind plants appearing green in their reflection technically the The sun produces the highest intensity of light in the blue-green range. The scientists contended that a light-sensitive molecule known as retinal, which emerged on Earth prior to chlorophyll, absorbed green light and reflected red and violet—colors that would have appeared human eye , would’ve looked purple.

When chlorophyll first appeared on our planet—largely due to an increase in oxygen levels—the Sun’s green light was already being captured by organisms utilizing retinal-based pigments. As such, this new molecule began absorbing every other type of available sunlight instead. Despite that, Sun releases lesser illumination within that spectrum; chlorophyll became part of a superior, effective mechanism for conducting photosynthesis, leading Earth’s verdant shade to emerge.

However, on planets with low levels of oxygen circling dim, reddish dwarf stars, circumstances could vary significantly. Coelho created multiple models based on an Earth-like template. planets Across various wet and dry settings, numerous "light fingerprints" simulations resulted in shades of purple.

If purple bacteria flourish on the surface of a frozen Earth, an oceanic planet, a Snowball Earth, or our current Earth circling a less warm star, star Coelho stated in a press release, "We now possess the means to explore for them."

Therefore, when extraterrestrials ultimately arrive on our planet, don't expect "small green guys." But as far as flying purple people-eaters go... now you're onto something intriguing.