
During a Solar Eclipse, What Are Plants Doing? - CaliforniaKarl
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/science/plants-solar-eclipse.html
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bactisme
Is there a difference between eclipse and bringing tour plant inside? How is
it difficult to simulate a eclipse all year round ?

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leoedin
That's my question. Could you not just put a box over the plant for 5 minutes?
Even if it needed to be a more elaborate system to simulate the correct rate
of light falling and rising, it would surely be easier than waiting for an
eclipse.

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Amygaz
That's how biologists study changes and shift in diurnal cycle and circadian
rhythm with pretty much every organisms. Rapid eclipse-like changed have been
studied in automated incubation chamber. And all this was already known, and
was part of my biology text book 20 years ago. That scientific news in NYT is
the new normal sensationalism. The plants aren't really shocked. They've dealt
with that for millions of year. It's not like they can escape, or turn on the
artificial light bulb.

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UnFleshedOne
There is an argument for posting articles on established science more often
(or well, ever) in the news. Not everybody paid attention in biology class and
there is a benefit of not having to post reversal when the next cutting edge
article comes out with opposite findings.

"BOATS EXPLAINED: Centuries-Old Problem Solved By Bathtub Nudist"

[https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ndGYn7ZFiZyernp9f/the-
beauty...](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ndGYn7ZFiZyernp9f/the-beauty-of-
settled-science)

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fridgamarator
Some data my company collected during the August 2017 eclipse in Nebraska -
[http://www.licor.com/env/newsline/2017/08/solar-eclipse-
data...](http://www.licor.com/env/newsline/2017/08/solar-eclipse-data-from-li-
cor/)

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jotm
They (start to) switch from photosynthesis to respiration, then are surprised
and slightly inconvenienced that they have to abort and go back.

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pwagland
14% loss in production over a day is more than "slightly inconvenienced".

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macspoofing
They could have lost that production from being stepped on or fed on, or from
unseasonably cloudy or rainy weather. Even for a plant 14% loss every few
years feels like a no big deal. The macro effects are certainly interesting
area of research.

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mikeash
Every ~400 years or so.

