Transcript
As fall foliage peaks, scientists work to understand leaves' colors
From NPR · Episode page · Watch on YouTube
· 1 min · 158 words · 2 timestamped sections
This is the full, timestamped transcript of "As fall foliage peaks, scientists work to understand leaves' colors", an episode of NPR published November 9, 2025 (1 min, about 158 words). It mentions 10 people, works and ideas, including Nell Greenfield Boyce, chlorophyll, Nicole Hughes, High Point University, North Carolina.
What is discussed, and when
Notable quotes from "As fall foliage peaks, scientists work to understand leaves' colors"
This is a busy time of year for scientists who are trying to understand autumn leaves. As NP's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports, the most mysterious color is red. In the fall, to…
about Nell Greenfield Boyce · at
Who and what is mentioned in this episode?
People
- Nell Greenfield Boyce — Person · 2 mentions · first at
- Nicole Hughes — Person · 1 mention · first at
The red pigments are different. Trees make brand new red chemicals just days before a leaf is about to fall. Nicole Hughes is a biologist at High Point University in North…
Companies & orgs
- High Point University — Company · 1 mention · first at
Make brand new red chemicals just days before a leaf is about to fall. Nicole Hughes is a biologist at High Point University in North Carolina. We still don't really know why some species turn red and others don't.
- NPR — Company · 1 mention
Concepts & topics
- chlorophyll — Concept · 1 mention · first at
Is red. In the fall, to recover nitrogen, trees take apart green chlorophyll. This reveals yellow pigments that were there all along. But the red pigments are different. Trees…
- aphids — Concept · 1 mention · first at
Red could be a signal to insects that lay eggs in the fall. One study found more aphids on trees with green and yellow leaves compared to trees that were red. Nell Greenfield, Boyce, NPR News.
- nitrogen recovery in trees — Concept · 1 mention
- red pigments (anthocyanins) — Concept · 1 mention
- yellow pigments (carotenoids) — Concept · 1 mention
Places & events
- North Carolina — Place · 1 mention · first at
Before a leaf is about to fall. Nicole Hughes is a biologist at High Point University in North Carolina. We still don't really know why some species turn red and others don't.
Full transcript with timestamps
This is a busy time of year for scientists who are trying to understand autumn leaves. As NP's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports, the most mysterious color is red. In the fall, to recover nitrogen, trees take apart green chlorophyll. This reveals yellow pigments that were there all along. But the red pigments are different. Trees make brand new red chemicals just days before a leaf is about to fall. Nicole Hughes is a biologist at High Point University in North Carolina. We still don't really know why some species turn red and others don't.
She says the red pigments do act as a kind of sunscreen, which may protect trees ability to recoup that precious nitrogen. But some researchers think the red could be a signal to insects that lay eggs in the fall. One study found more aphids on trees with green and yellow leaves compared to trees that were red. Nell Greenfield, Boyce, NPR News.
Questions about this episode
What is discussed in "As fall foliage peaks, scientists work to understand leaves' colors"?
In order: 0:00 Nell Greenfield Boyce, aphids, chlorophyll, High Point University.
What is mentioned in this NPR episode?
10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Nell Greenfield Boyce, chlorophyll, Nicole Hughes, High Point University, North Carolina, aphids. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.
How long is "As fall foliage peaks, scientists work to understand leaves' colors"?
The episode runs 1 min; the transcript is about 158 words in 2 timestamped sections.
More from NPR
About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated November 17, 2025.