Plants Emit Blue Light to Attract Bees

New research shows that flowers have a secret signal that’s specifically tailored for bees so that they know when to collect nectar. Nanoscale [measuring in the millionth of a meter] patterns on the petals reflect light in a way that effectively creates a “blue halo” around the flower that helps attract the bees and encourage pollination. The colour perception of bees is shifted more towards the blue end of the spectrum compared to ours. By studying the nanotechnology of plants, we might be able to put these systems to use in our own technologies. [See article by Stuart Thompson in The Conversation.]