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Podcast: Short Wave
Episode:

Fall foliage is still a mystery: Why do some leaves turn red?

Category: Science & Medicine
Duration: 00:13:59
Publish Date: 2025-11-07 08:00:00
Description: Scientists know why leaves turn yellow in the fall: Chlorophyll breaks down, revealing the yellow pigment that was there all along. But red? Red is a different story altogether. Leaves have to make a new pigment to turn red. Why would a dying leaf do that? Scientists don’t really know. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce reports on the leading hypotheses out there.

Read more of Nell's reporting on this topic

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