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Plasma-Structural Coloring: A new colorful approach to an inkless future

Scientists at Shinshu University have created a new method for achieving structural coloring through plasma irradiation of graphite, eliminating the need for harmful color dyes. The technique produces erasable and stable colors that can be manipulated using various factors, offering a sustainable solution for the art world.

SourceShinshu University·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 1, 2023

Popular herbicide weakens bumblebees’ color vision

A study by Finnish researchers found that exposure to the herbicide glyphosate impairs bumblebees' fine color vision, affecting their ability to learn and remember connections between colors and tastes. This weakened color vision can severely impact bumblebees' foraging and nesting success.

SourceUniversity of Turku·JournalScience of The Total Environment·DateOct 13, 2022

Research reveals quantitative and high-resolution pressure functions of pressure-sensitive material

A team at Nagoya University has created a new type of mechanochromic material, fluorenylidene-acridane (FA), which changes color in response to mechanical pressure. The material's unique properties allow it to be quantitatively analyzed, enabling the measurement of its color change and structural changes with high spatial resolution.

SourceNagoya University·JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry C·DateSep 30, 2022

Optical magic: New flat glass enables optimal visual quality for augmented reality goggles

Researchers at Columbia University have invented a flat lens that exclusively focuses light of a selected color, appearing transparent until illuminated with the correct wavelength. The device overcomes challenges in conventional AR glasses, enabling unattenuated and undistorted vision of both real-world scenes and contextual information.

SourceColumbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalLight Science & Applications·DateSep 28, 2022

Color composition preferences in art paintings are determined by color statistics

Researchers analyzed over 31,000 participants and 1,200 paintings to find that people prefer color compositions with unique statistical properties, unlike natural scenes. These findings challenge the 'matching-to-nature' hypothesis and offer insights into why we're attracted to certain color schemes.

SourceToyohashi University of Technology (TUT)·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 27, 2022

Bees use patterns – not just colors – to find flowers

A recent study by the University of Exeter reveals that honeybees rely on both color and pattern to identify flowers. The researchers found that bees can effectively distinguish between different flowers using a combination of these elements, suggesting that flowers don't need to evolve many different petal colors.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 5, 2022

New study deepens understanding of how animals see, and what colors

Researchers gathered vision data on hundreds of vertebrates and invertebrates, determining that land animals can see a wider range of colors. The study found that evolutionary history influences which colors a species sees, with invertebrates better suited to detecting short wavelengths of light.

SourceUniversity of Arkansas·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 6, 2022

This illusion, new to science, is strong enough to trick our reflexes

A new study reveals an 'expanding hole' illusion that deceives the brain, prompting a dilation reflex in the pupils and making us perceive more light. The illusion is perceived by approximately 86% of people and affects how our visual system anticipates and makes sense of the visual world.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 31, 2022

Losing the cover of darkness

A study by researchers at the University of Plymouth reveals that energy-efficient broad spectrum lighting is reducing the efficacy of coastal species' camouflage. This can have significant impacts on visually guided ecological processes, with certain color variations being more vulnerable to detection.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalJournal of Applied Ecology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2022

New optical tweezers put on the pressure to change color

Researchers at Osaka City University have developed a new technique for controlling the luminescence color of materials using optical tweezers and nanotextured black silicon. The system can change the color of a material in response to changes in light pressure, allowing for fully reversible remote control.

SourceOsaka City University·JournalAngewandte Chemie·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 28, 2022

Applying the butterfly principle

Researchers at ETH Zurich have successfully replicated the surface structures of the Cynandra opis butterfly using nano-3D printing, enabling the production of structures that generate all visible spectrum colours. This breakthrough could lead to applications in security features, optical technologies, and high-resolution colour displays.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2022

Health disparities and inequities impact Black and Latino Americans with autoimmune diseases, says new USC study

A new USC study reveals that gaps in income, education, and access to care contribute to poorer outcomes for people of color with multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. The review shows significant inequities in accessing healthcare, leading to diagnostic delays and underuse of services.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalJAMA Neurology·TypeLiterature review·DateOct 4, 2021

Mapping words to colors

A team of researchers developed an algorithm that infers the communicative needs of different linguistic communities regarding colors. The study found that warm hues like reds and yellows have a higher demand for language, while less prominent colors are underrepresented.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 23, 2021

A new look at color displays

Researchers at Linköping University developed a method to create structural colours for use in reflective colour displays, enabling manufacturing of thin and lightweight displays with high energy-efficiency. The new method uses electrically conducting plastics and can produce all colours in the visible spectrum.

SourceLinköping University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateJul 6, 2021

New high-speed method for spectroscopic measurements

The new method uses polarization analysis to track changes in the spectrum of light on a nanosecond time scale over the entire color spectrum. By correlating polarization with laser color, researchers can measure spectral changes at high speeds, opening up new possibilities for material studies and astronomical observations.

SourceTampere University·JournalOptica·DateJun 21, 2021

Uncovering the secrets of some of the world's first color photographs

A team of researchers from EPFL's Audiovisual Communications Laboratory used historic photographic plates to study the original light and colors of century-old scenes. They found that Lippmann's method captured 26-64 spectral samples, far more than modern techniques, and were able to recreate the original light using an algorithm.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 15, 2021

Color blindness-correcting contact lenses

Researchers developed infusing contact lenses with gold nanoparticles to create a safer way to see colors for people with color blindness. The gold nanocomposite lenses improved red-green color perception in clinical trials without leaching dye, offering a potential solution for those struggling with the condition.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Nano·DateMar 3, 2021

The surprises of color evolution

A biologist's review articles on insect color vision and plant-pollinator interactions highlight the complexity of these relationships, which involve deception, chemical warfare, and biomechanical trickery. Plants have evolved fine-tuned pigments to attract pollinators, but insects have also co-evolved with them.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJan 25, 2021

Sheets of carbon nanotubes come in a rainbow of colours

Researchers at Aalto University have created a colour atlas for 466 unique varieties of single-walled carbon nanotubes, revealing their potential applications in electronics and solar panels. The study developed a quantitative model to predict the specific colors of thin films made by combining any of the 466 varieties.

SourceAalto University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateDec 14, 2020

Science reveals secrets of a mummy's portrait

Researchers studied a speck of purple pigment from an Egyptian portrait, revealing that it was likely made synthetically and mixed with clay and beeswax. The discovery sheds new light on the cultural significance of ancient portraits and their artistic techniques.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalInternational Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science·DateNov 20, 2020

A measure of smell

Weizmann Institute of Science researchers create framework to map smells based on molecular structure, enabling prediction of scent similarity. The system, developed by neurobiologists, computer scientists, and a master perfumer, can digitize and reproduce smells on command.