This is Scientific American 60 Second Science.

I'm Christopher in D'Artata.

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Have you ever thrown an avocado in a paper bag with a banana

to get the avocado to ripen faster? That trick works because both of them are what's called

climatic fruits, meaning they release ethylene gas as they mature, and the gas in turn accelerates

ripening.

At maximum ethylene release, the fruit reaches peak ripeness,

ideal taste in texture.

After that, the fruit's cells begin to die,

molds move in, and it rots. So how to determine the best time for

picking and eating? Today's high-tech farmers might sample the ethylene released by the fruit

as it sits in an airtight container, or use a color meter to track a fruit's progression towards ripe color.

But now researchers have devised what might be a simpler and more scientifically accurate technique, shooting fruit with lasers.

When they zapped golden delicious apples, what bounced back was a speckled pattern of black and red

dots, a measure of how the fruit cells and water absorbed and reflected the laser light.

That pattern changed over time, right in step with the fruit's release of ethylene,

meaning these images could be a good proxy for ethylene measurements and let

farmers know the best time to harvest.

The studies in the journal Applied Optics.

Next the researchers hope to develop a handheld laser for farmers so they can shoot fruit right on the tree.

It remains to be seen if laser measurement of bananas will have appeal.

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