Why Trees Glow Like Snow At Night

Certain trees can appear covered in snow during summer nights thanks to a rare optical illusion called sylvanshine. This happens when dew-coated leaves act like millions of tiny mirrors to bounce light directly back at a driver.

This phenomenon occurs because the waxy surfaces of specific leaves force water to form tiny beads that act like lenses. These microscopic droplets focus light onto the leaf and reflect it straight back toward its source, such as your car headlights. It was only officially identified and named in 1994 by an expert in meteorological optics. Next time you see a patch of woods suddenly shine brightly in the dark, you are witnessing this natural light show.