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Structural color just got glossy, durable and 3D-ready

The Kobe University team demonstrates glossy, non-iridescent, and protection-coated structural color coatings for 3D objects, reducing diffuse reflectance and increasing color brightness. The coatings are lightweight, making them ideal for aircraft and other applications where weight reduction is crucial.

SourceKobe University·JournalSmall Structures·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2026

Nature’s “master painters”: BGU researchers reveal for the first time how damselflies break optical barriers to create saturated colors

Damselflies break optical barriers to produce vivid, angle-independent colors using structural dispersion and pigment loading. This discovery provides a blueprint for creating sustainable, highly saturated photonic materials that could replace toxic synthetic pigments.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 9, 2026

Bird-of-paradise inspires darkest fabric ever mad

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a method to produce the darkest fabric currently reported, with no angle dependency. The team used polydopamine and etching in a plasma chamber to create nanofibrils that mimic the light-trapping capabilities of the riflebird's ultrablack feathers.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 1, 2025

Bacteria spin rainbow-colored, sustainable textiles

Researchers demonstrate that bacteria can produce fabric and dye it in every color of the rainbow using a single vat. The approach uses bacterial cellulose as a potential alternative to petroleum-based fibers, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and environmental harm. The developed method yields vibrant colors that survive washing and h...

SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Biotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 12, 2025

Blue tips are red algae’s red flags

Researchers at Kobe University discovered that red algae use structural color to communicate with each other. The discovery was made in the European Journal of Phycology and suggests that these colors may serve as a warning signal to algae-eating fish.

SourceKobe University·JournalEuropean Journal of Phycology·TypeObservational study·DateMay 5, 2025

Do you see what I see?

A study published in PNAS found that young children perceive colors similarly to adults, with consistent structure across age groups and cultures. The researchers developed a touch panel interface to evaluate conscious experiences, revealing robustness in their approach.

SourceKyoto University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2025

Structural color shields: water repellent coatings

Researchers developed a novel coating material that captures the brilliance of structural colors using melanin particles, producing non-iridescent color even when viewed from different angles. The coatings displayed a contact angle of over 160 degrees, monochromatic hues, and a self-cleaning surface.

SourceChiba University·JournalMacromolecular Reaction Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 28, 2025

Shade plants in the spotlight

Researchers discovered that plants in shaded conditions receive a larger proportion of green and far-red light, which contributes to photosynthesis. This finding may help growers develop new methods for supplementing natural sunlight with colored light.

SourceUtrecht University·JournalPlant Cell & Environment·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2025

Pre-seed funding to recolor the world greener

Kobe University has developed a new way to produce colors using nanospheres, which could reduce the environmental impact of paints and cosmetics. The technology uses silicon spheres to scatter light, creating bright and brilliant colors that do not fade or change with viewing angle.

Pusan National University researchers develop fast-responding colorimetric sensor with expanded color gamut for real-time monitoring

Researchers at Pusan National University developed a fast-responding colorimetric sensor with an expanded color gamut, capable of detecting humidity and other environmental changes in real-time. The sensor outperforms previous designs with a wide color representation and rapid responsiveness.

SourcePusan National University·JournalOptica·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 17, 2024

What makes some brown algae shimmer and others not?

Kobe University researchers have discovered that the shimmering effect in some brown algae is due to the presence of tiny, uniform-sized spheres within cells called iridescent bodies. These microspheres reflect green light more than other colors, resulting in the alga's characteristic shine.

SourceKobe University·JournalEuropean Journal of Phycology·TypeObservational study·DateMay 20, 2024

How does the brain turn waves of light into experiences of color?

Columbia University neuroscientists have identified brain-cell circuitry in fruit flies that converts raw sensory signals into color perceptions, which could underlie how creatures large and small see wavelengths of light as information-rich hues. The discovery reveals a complex neural mechanism responsible for hue selectivity, allowin...

SourceColumbia University·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 16, 2024

The role of history in how efficient color names evolve

Researchers found that a language's past color vocabulary influences its ability to evolve, with constraints on vocabulary growth and changes in meaning. The study used the World Color Survey dataset to explore how new terms are introduced and their meanings change as vocabulary size increases.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2024

Structural color ink: Printable, non-iridescent and lightweight

Researchers at Kobe University developed a new approach to producing colors using the scattering of light from tiny silicon crystals. The material enables non-fading structural colors that do not depend on the viewing angle and can be printed, promising significant weight improvements over conventional paints.

SourceKobe University·JournalACS Applied Nano Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 30, 2024

Colored by numbers? Pack images get tick of approval to make product varieties stand out

New research from the University of South Australia found that images are more effective at signaling product variety than colors, with only 56% of color choices matching customer expectations. The study analyzed consumer perceptions of 576 products and recommended using images to convey variety and protecting master brand colors.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalInternational Journal of Market Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 15, 2023

Our sense of smell changes the colors we see, show scientists

A study in Frontiers in Psychology found that unconscious 'crossmodal' associations with our sense of smell can distort perception of colors. Participants adjusted sliders to change the color of a square, but their choices were influenced by the odor they smelled, such as perceiving coffee as a reddish-brown color instead of neutral grey.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 6, 2023

Unleashing a new era of color tunable nano-devices - smallest ever light source with switchable colors formed

Researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem developed an innovative system of 'artificial molecules' made from two coupled semiconductor nanocrystals, achieving fast and instantaneous color switching. This breakthrough enables new possibilities in displays, lighting, and nanoscale optoelectronic devices with adjustable colors.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 3, 2023

Illusions are in the eye, not the mind

A new study suggests that simple limitations in neural responses explain visual illusions, rather than deeper psychological processes. Researchers developed a model that combines information on neural firing speeds, pattern perception, and natural scene assumptions to predict how animals see colour and understand visual illusions.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateJun 15, 2023

New approach to developing efficient, high-precision 3D light shapers

Scientists create a simple approach to fabricating highly precise 3D aperiodic photonic volume elements (APVEs) for various applications. The method uses direct laser writing to arrange voxels of specific refractive indices in glass, enabling the precise control of light flow and achieving record-high diffraction efficiency.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalAdvanced Photonics Nexus·DateApr 21, 2023

CityU scholars unify color systems using prime numbers

Researchers from City University of Hong Kong developed a unified colour system based on prime numbers, called C<sub>235</sub>, which can represent various colours more efficiently than existing systems like RGB and CMYK. The new colour system has potential applications in designing energy-saving LCD systems and colourizing DNA codons.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalLight Science & Applications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 2, 2023