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First Evidence That Some Insects May Rely On Photosynthesis

Posted by samzenpus on from the here-comes-the-sun dept.

tedlistens writes "The idea that aphids may use photosynthesis, as plants do, is based on the recent finding that the bugs are able to synthesize pigments called carotenoids. These pigments are common and necessary for many animals (for non-photosynthesis uses, like maintaining a healthy immune system), but the animal must consume them from outside sources. So far, only plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria are known to be able to synthesize carotenoids themselves, and, in all of those organisms, carotenoids are a key part of photosynthesis. While the co-author of the study, published in Nature's open-access journal Scientific Reports, cautions that more research is needed before we can determine if aphids are photosynthesizing like non-animals, it still could be one of the more remarkable findings in biology in recent memory, and may hold promise for helping address humanity's food crisis."

5 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. What about Vespa Orientalis? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Really the first? Vespa Orientalis has been shown to harvest sunlight for energy. Or does that not strictly count as photosnthesis?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespa_orientalis

  2. People synthesize Vitamin D using sunlight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's probably a type of photosynthesis - using sunlight to produce Vitamin D from cholesterol, which is a vital hormone that 80% of us are lacking.
    You know, sunlight's purpose is not to cause cancer and cholesterol is not there to clog your arteries, nature has a purpose for everything.

  3. Re:Another quality slashdot article on science! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Bullshit. If you read that actual Nature paper, summarized:

    We report here that the capture of light energy in living aphids results in the photo induced electron transfer from excited chromophores to acceptor molecules. ...

    This appears as an archaic photosynthetic system consisting of photo-emitted electrons that are in fine funnelled into the mitochondrial reducing power in order to synthesize ATP molecules.

    The Nature paper doesn't talk about solving humanity's food crisis. Mother Board sort of half-assedly makes that claim by mentioning a food crisis and then saying that this doesn't solve it--yet. Nature wouldn't be that stupid to make such a dubious claim.

    The GPs criticism is valid.

  4. Re:What food crisis? by TimmyDee · · Score: 4, Informative

    I made that infographic you posted above (the one where you said there'd be plenty of room), and your claim isn't exactly true. You obviously didn't see my follow up infographic, showing that we'd all have to live lifestyles somewhat less resource intensive than the average Chinese person.

    Simply having enough space to cram people isn't everything.

    --
    Per Square Mile, a blog about density
  5. Re:Another quality slashdot article on science! by RDW · · Score: 4, Informative

    It isn't in Nature, it's in Scientific Reports, one of 'over 80' journals from the Nature Publishing Group

    http://www.nature.com/srep/about/index.html

    It's a new journal, with no impact factor yet.