Goldilocks Flowers: A Speculative Artscience Exploration of Alien Photosynthesis

A century ago, astronomers hypothesized that the seasonal darkening of Mars might be attributable to the growth of vegetation. By analyzing the spectrum of light reflected from the Martian surface, they searched for indicators of chlorophyll-based photosynthesis. However, the limitations of this approach were already apparent to H.G. Wells, who, in his seminal science fiction novel The War of the Worlds, envisioned a radically different form of Martian plant life: “The vegetable kingdom in Mars, instead of having green for a dominant colour, is of a vivid blood-red tint.”

Although the hypothesis of Martian vegetation proved erroneous, contemporary advancements in astrophysics have introduced novel methodologies for detecting extraterrestrial life. The ability to analyze polarized light reflected from exoplanetary surfaces presents new opportunities to identify unmistakable biosignatures of photosynthesis, independent of Earth’s specific ecological conditions.

Goldilocks Flowers is a speculative artscience project that explores the aesthetic and scientific implications of alien photosynthesis. While terrestrial life is often associated with green plants, the biosphere encompasses a vast chromatic diversity of photosynthetic organisms. Some land plants exhibit red or purple foliage, while marine algae and photosynthetic bacteria display an array of pigments adapted to their specific light environments. Notably, purple bacteria harness both infrared and visible light, suggesting that extraterrestrial photosynthetic systems could manifest in entirely unexpected colorations, dictated by their host star’s spectral output and atmospheric composition.

Leveraging artificial intelligence—specifically, Stable Diffusion—the artist employs machine learning as a generative tool to speculate on the possible forms and pigmentation of alien flora and fauna. By extrapolating from Earth’s biospheric diversity, this project envisions how photosynthesizing organisms might adapt under alternative stellar conditions and atmospheric configurations, prompting a re-evaluation of the aesthetic and scientific paradigms that shape our search for life beyond Earth.

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