This is the time of year when Nicole Hughes gets constantly distracted by the fall foliage as she drives around North Carolina. "I'm always looking," says Hughes, a biologist at High Point University.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The season's first peak colors are bursting in parts of the Empire state as New York's leaf-peeping season hits its stride.

Scientists have long questioned whether the vibrant colors of fall foliage serve an evolutionary purpose. One theory suggests red pigments protect leaves from sun damage, allowing trees to absorb more ...

The red pigments in some fall leaves have proven to be a puzzle for researchers who debate why leaves bother to go red. Why do only some leaves turn red in the fall? Scientists can't agree on an ...