The beginning of Fall

While leaves in the United States turn yellow, orange and red in the autumn, those in Europe only turn yellow. The riot of color that erupts in forests every autumn looks different depending on which side of the ocean you're on.
While the fall foliage in North America and East Asia takes on a fiery red hue, perplexingly, autumn leaves in Europe are mostly yellow in color.
I really love Fall and its colors and here in the Real World where I live now, I have to drive into the mountains to enjoy the beauty of it.

As a child, I remember the cool Autumn Days and how good it felt to run around in the forest. When the weather begins to turn cool in the fall, chlorophyll, which is sensitive to the cold, stops being produced. As the green fades, yellow and orange pigments called carotenoids (also responsible for the orange color of carrots) take over. These pigments were always present in the background of the leaves' color, but can finally shine through as the green diminishes.

The red color comes from anthocyanins, which unlike carotenoids are produced only in the fall. These red pigments act as a sunscreen for the trees by blocking out harmful radiation and preventing overexposure to light. They also act as an antifreeze, preventing leaf cells from freezing easily in the autumn chill.

Some scientists have even suggested that the red colors ward off pests that would munch on the leaves if they were a more appetizing-looking yellow. It's from this premise that scientists figured out what might be going on.

Happy FALL!!!