During harsh sunlight all organisms that can will shade themselves. It may seem that plants can not do this and have to suffer. However a group of researchers from the University of London has discovered that plants to can shield themselves from the harsh sunlight. This process is called photoprotection; plants can protect their leaves even in extreme climates. This adaptation to global warming not only helps the plants harness the sunlight in a sufficient way, but may also hold a secret for humans for solar energy.

Usually a plant uses a process called photosynthesis which works by the collection of sunlight. This process can even work when there are small amounts of sunlight. However when there is way too much sunlight and then the plant absorbs excess then what it needs, then it could be very harmful to the plant. However this is where photoprotection comes in. The leaves of the plants undergo a change so that the excess light is turned into harmful heat which is then dispersed through out.

Until now researchers had not know that there is a process such as photoprotection. When research teams had joined forces they found that there are a few certain types of molecules that when the plant absorbs too much sunlight they change shape allowing this process to work. Researchers have tracked this conversion of light energy to heat energy in less then a billionth of a second.

This mechanism is in all plants. However for crop plants it is much harder for them to do this, because they already and always have had ideal growing locations and enough of all resources. However this change in plants awakes new hope for humans to find a better way to harness the energy of light so they could use solar energy instead of electricity.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/89603.php