The much-awaited teaser of Swayambhu is set to be launched at a pan-India event across two cities simultaneously on February 11. New Delhi: The makers of the highly anticipated film Swayambhu recently announced that the official teaser will be unveiled at a grand pan-India event scheduled to take
The electoral battle has effectively narrowed into a two-front contest between the country's main political alliances. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, is estimated to command between 33 and 35 per cent voter support
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that traffic at 62 congestion hot spots across the city is expected to ease significantly, with 215 targeted measures planned to regulate vehicular movement. According to the government's state action plan against air pollution
The Congress on Wednesday (January 11, 2026) took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-U.S. interim trade agreement, saying the deal is a steal by the "PM's good friend in Washington" and reflects an "abject failure" of our "political huglomacy" as well as economic diplomacy
The Election Commission on Tuesday extended the deadline for hearings of notices sent to voters as part of the special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in West Bengal to February 14, The Hindu reported. The date for publishing the final voter list has been moved to February 28 from
Leafy chemistry: What happens when a leaf changes colour in autumn?
Leafy chemistry: What happens when a leaf changes colour in autumn?
For a moment, close your eyes and imagine yourself in the fall season. The cold, chilly wind kisses your face, and the leaves begin to dance gracefully as they fall off the tree. What's the first thing you notice about the leaves? That they change colour before they fall off. But how? Asked and answered.
Usually the trees that are deciduous (plants or trees that shed leaves annually) have leaves that change colour. They have large and broad leaves.
Most of the year, these trees are green throughout the year because of chlorophyll content. And if you have learnt in school, chlorophyll is important to absorb sunlight during photosynthesis, and the leaves convert sunlight into energy and energy into sugars to feed the tree. This pigment is constantly produced throughout the spring and summer. Other pigments are present, but in much lesser quantities.
As seasons change, the weather gets colder towards the last few months of the year. Days also get shorter with time. Trees get less direct sunlight, and hence, the chlorophyll in the leaves begins to break down. This in turn leads to other pigments being produced in higher quantities, marking the trees' preparation for winter.
The leaves eventually fall off when nutrition is cut off, and they decompose, enriching the soil for the next life cycle.
Visitors walk inside a Mughal garden as they enjoy during the autumn season, in Srinagar, Kashmir. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR/The Hindu
So, why are all the leaves coloured differently? Well, it is because of the various other pigments in the leaf and their reaction to the sunlight. The yellow and orange shades come from pigments called carotenoids, which are present year-round, but masked by the higher amounts of chlorophyll. Red and purplish-brown colours arrive from anthocyanins. Healthy trees have an enhanced red colour due to increasing sugar production for anthocyanins.
Trees stressed by drought, disease, and poor soil conditions may lose leaves prematurely, leaving them bare in the autumn season.
Fallen chinar tree leaves float on the waters of Tchunte Kul, a tributary of Dal Lake, during an autumn day in Srinagar, Wednesday, 19, November 2025. Fall in Kashmir, locally known as "Harud", transforms the valley into a vibrant canvas of red, orange, and yellow hues. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR/The Hindu
These changes are mostly seen in areas in and around the temperate zone (middle part of the Earth which is characterised by moderate climate, and a distinct four-cycle season). Mount Mansfield in Vermont, U.S., is home to prominent colours of red and gold. Lake Tahoe, in the U.S. and Agawa Canyon in Canada showcase golden aspens and maples from mid-October. Other hotspots include Douro Valley in Portugal; the red maples in Nara and Kyoto, in Japan; and the Chinar trees around Dal Lake in Kashmir.
Leaves changing colour is not just a pretty sight to see, but a natural response to the changing seasons, and a unique survival strategy. Autumn's colours are nature's way of preparing for renewal.
Published - February 10, 2026 02:54 pm IST
In School / forests / speaking of science / chemistry
Source: TheHindu
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