SMRTR Science & EngineeringJan 29, 2025Quanta Magazine

How Does Life Happen When There’s Barely Any Light?

SMRTR summary

Arctic microalgae can photosynthesize at extremely low light levels during the polar night, challenging assumptions about winter dormancy. Researchers observed photosynthesis and growth at light levels near the theoretical minimum of 0.01-0.04 micromoles of photons per square meter per second, about 1/100,000th of a sunny day's light.

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