Photosynthesis triggered by single photon, confirms breakthrough study.
Scientists have observed the beginning of photosynthesis for the first time, starting with a single photon. Researchers looked at purple photosynthetic bacteria and set up a photon source that spits out just two photons at a time. During each test, the first photon fired out was absorbed by an ultra-sensitive detector, while the other struck the bacteria's equivalent of a chloroplast. When the second photon hit its target, photosynthesis started up, confirming that just one photon was enough to set off photosynthesis.