_{Part of the Anatomically Correct series of questions.}

Due to the nature of Superman having so many different powers, I wanted to focus specifically on one aspect of his character: the ability to be powered by differently colored suns.

For this question, I am looking for a creature that becomes stronger (or weaker) when in the presence of suns of different colors. This raises an important question: Is there a difference between receiving red light from a red star, and receiving red light from anywhere else? My answer is this: If it is possible, I'd like the creature to respond only to sunlight. If this is not possible however, the creature may be powered by all forms of light that have the correct wavelengths, regardless of its origin. (for example, there are grow lights that simulate the sun's energy)

The following is how the creature should react to the various wavelengths:

• Red sunlight: No change or increase in strength; this is the default state.
• Orange sunlight: Creature has a slight increase in strength
• Yellow sunlight: Creature becomes much stronger.
• Blue sunlight: Creature becomes even stronger than from yellow sunlight.

The argument from the comics is that more energy is received from suns towards the blue and yellow range than suns near the red range of the spectrum.

I did some number crunching using the equation for photon energy, $E = \frac{hc}{λ} $ and found that the energy of photons with a wavelength between 450-500 (blue range) have about 1.44 times more energy than photons with a wavelength between 620-750 (red range).

How might a creature evolve to receive more energy from higher-energy wavelengths of light?

Conditions for answers:

• Creature must not need higher-energy light to survive. Kryptonians, for example have lived most of their lives under a red sun, exhibiting virtually no superpowers at all.
• Creature must get much stronger under yellow light. For the purposes of this question, let's assume that "much stronger" means their muscles are more than 2x stronger than usual; they can carry double the normal maximum weight.

Optional conditions. Addressing these will give you more points towards best answer:

• Creature gets even stronger under blue light. For blue light, let's say that it makes them 2x stronger than what yellow light does.
• Creature increases strength almost instantly. Rather than taking a long time under the sun to begin exhibiting increased strength, the effect happens almost immediately.
• Creature shows signs for a while even after exposure ends. For Superman, he "stores the sun's energy" in his cells, which enables him to have superpowers for several hours after he is no longer in the sun. This allows him to use his powers at any point during the nighttime in addition to the daytime (during which he is "recharged").
• Creature doesn't need light at all to survive. I understand this might be a stretch, since a creature that has evolved to gain strength from light obviously would have done this for a reason.

For this question, ignore any of Superman's other superpowers.

Worldbuilding context: I was working on a plant-animal hybrid for my world that gains strength based on light frequency, and suddenly I thought "Hey, this kind of sounds like Superman."

posted over 4 years ago

overlord - Reinstate Monica‭

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