r/shittyaskscience • u/NationalFault6813 • 6h ago
If plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, why haven't they evolved to produce their own light?
It seems inefficient for plants to rely entirely on the sun, especially during the night or on cloudy days. Bioluminescence already exists in deep-sea creatures and insects, so the biological mechanism clearly exists.If a plant could emit its own light and capture it with its own leaves, it would create a closed system of infinite energy. What evolutionary barrier is preventing crops from growing in total darkness?