DiscoverExplain It Like I’m 5How Do Plants Eat Sunlight? (And Why Can’t I Do That?)
How Do Plants Eat Sunlight? (And Why Can’t I Do That?)

How Do Plants Eat Sunlight? (And Why Can’t I Do That?)

Update: 2025-11-05
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Plants have a secret superpower: they eat sunlight. Meanwhile, we humans can barely make toast without burning it. In this bright and leafy episode of Explain It Like I’m 5, host Alex breaks down the magic of photosynthesis—how plants turn light into lunch—and why we can’t do the same no matter how much sunbathing we try.


You’ll learn:




  • What photosynthesis actually is (and the simple equation behind it)




  • How chlorophyll and chloroplasts act like solar-powered chefs




  • Why humans can’t photosynthesize (spoiler: you’d only make one potato chip’s worth of energy a day!)




  • How plants literally changed the planet by creating oxygen




  • And some wild plant trivia—from sea slugs that steal sunlight to NASA’s space gardens 




It’s science, sunshine, and silliness all rolled into one glowing episode.

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How Do Plants Eat Sunlight? (And Why Can’t I Do That?)

How Do Plants Eat Sunlight? (And Why Can’t I Do That?)

Alex