face_with_colon_three circa 2021.
Most of the colors we see around us are produced by the reflection of light from pigments. Yet there is another type of color called “structural color,” produced when light is reflected off the special microstructure of a surface. Structural color is what makes the surface of soap bubbles iridescent and the body of a jewel beetle appear to glitter. While pigmented colors have the disadvantage of fading due to ultraviolet rays, structural colors retain their appearance as long as the microstructure remains intact. Associate Professor Michinari Kohri of Chiba University is working to artificially reproduce these structural colors. Taking a hint from the structural colors of peacock and turkey feathers, he has succeeded in reproducing the microstructure that gives rise to the colors and is now working on the development of special ink that will not fade.
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