This is the time of year when Nicole Hughes gets constantly distracted by the fall foliage as she drives around North Carolina. "I'm always looking," says Hughes, a biologist at High Point University.

Leaves often turn brilliant colors in autumn. One of those colors has generated a lot of heated debate among scientists in recent years. Autumn is a big time for trees. Many shed their leaves, and of ...

Scientists have long questioned whether the vibrant colors of fall foliage serve an evolutionary purpose. One theory suggests red pigments protect leaves from sun damage, allowing trees to absorb more ...

The red pigments in some fall leaves have proven to be a puzzle for researchers who debate why leaves bother to go red. Why do only some leaves turn red in the fall? Scientists can't agree on an ...