In search for alien life, purple may be the new green. On Earth, green signifies life, thanks to chlorophyll-driven photosynthesis. But on exoplanets, Cornell researchers have found that purple could be a key color to look for. Some bacteria on Earth already use infrared light for photosynthesis and contain purple pigments instead. This discovery means that potential alien worlds with dominant purple bacteria might emit a unique "light fingerprint" detectable by advanced telescopes.
Lisa Kaltenegger, Carl Sagan Institute (CSI) director and associate professor of astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Lígia Fonseca Coelho, a postdoctoral associate at CSI, discuss this research.
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