The study looked at how exposing Arabidopsis plants to intense light affects their growth and productivity. They found that when seedlings were given short bursts of high light, they initially struggled but eventually recovered and even produced more seeds. The plants changed the way their chloroplasts were organized and used starch to make more stems and seeds. Overall, the plants exposed to periodic high light had smaller leaves but more above-ground biomass, leading to higher seed yields compared to plants grown under low light. Mature plants also showed increased tolerance to intense light.