Why is color blue rare in nature

Blue tigers are nonexistent. There are no blue squirrels, bats, or canines. Blue whales are not exactly that blue. Although animals can be found in virtually any color, blue appears to be the rarest. However, what's interesting is that when we do encounter a blue animal, it has an incredible appearance. Blue is not handled halfway by nature. To comprehend the reason for this, we shall embark on an exploration of evolution, chemistry, and some exceptionally fascinating physics. However, to ascertain the reason why creatures exhibit any coloration, we must examine some butterflies... because butterflies are magnificent... And if you disagree, you are mistaken. Bob Robbins appears here. He is the curator of Lepidoptera at the Washington, D.C.-based National Museum of Natural History.

Indeed, butterflies are magnificent. Without a doubt, make no error about it. They are a group of insects that have adapted to be active during the day; therefore, you have an advantage if you are active during the day: Light can be utilized for communication. You are likely aware that, among all insects, butterfly patterns are the most vivid and intricate. And that is for a valid reason: Although some butterfly colors convey messages such as "I'm toxic" or "This is my territory as a male," not all butterfly colors are created equal.

A close examination of a butterfly wing reveals that its hues originate from minute scales. The scientific nomenclature of moths and butterflies derives from this fact. Each of the scales' colors—orange, red, yellow, and brown—is composed of pigments, which are organic molecules that neutralize all colors except those that are visible to the naked eye. All hues are absorbed by black scales. These pigments are not synthesized by any living organism, including humans, butterflies, or birds; rather, they are derived from substances present in our diet. This may be common knowledge due to flamingos: They are initially gray, but compounds known as carotenoids in the crustaceans they consume cause them to turn pink.

Concerning these colors, one can say that one becomes what they consume. This is not the case with blue. Blue is *different*; changing the position of the camera will cause the hue to alter. Indeed, it does. It resembles an apparition. This is because these butterflies lack blue pigment. What? They appear to be blue, but they are not blue in reality. Indeed, that is accurate!

Yes. I believe you are deceiving me, insects. These are Blue Morpho butterflies, which are arguably the most beautiful species. They did, in fact, design the butterfly emoji. Blue does not originate from a pigment. The blue hue originates from the wing scales' morphology; understanding how this phenomenon operates somewhat astounded me. Blue wing scale magnifying significantly reveals these minute ridges. Upon closer inspection and scaling across the scale, it becomes apparent that these ridges resemble miniature Christmas trees. The composition of the branches is the cause of the blue hue of Morpho wings. A portion of the incoming light is reflected off the upper surface.

However, some light penetrates the stratum and is reflected off the subsurface. In the case of the majority of light colors, waves that reflect from the top and bottom become out of phase, resulting in their cancellation and subsequent light elimination. However, the wavelength of blue light is ideal: the reflected light waves are in phase, and thus that particular color reaches our retina. This hallway of mirrors allows the escape of blue light only. A pigment even at the base absorbs extraneous green and red light, thereby purifying the blue even further. This is how this incredible iridescent blue is produced. The structure of the wing at the microscopic level. This phenomenon occurs due to the bending behavior of light as it transitions from an air-to-a material medium. The blue dissipates when these microscopic spaces are filled with a substance other than air, such as alcohol.

This "alters the index of refraction" in technical parlance; however, it simply signifies that blue light is no longer deflected in the intended direction. The light filter for microscopy is damaged. To the point where the alcohol completely dissipates. The color then reappears. However, their habitat is the rainforest. You would assume that they would lose their color upon becoming moist, correct? Then observe this. These wing scales are constructed from a naturally water-resistant material. What about this feather of the blue jay?

Upon examining it, the pigment vanishes entirely. Absence of blue pigment. Each feather bristle is comprised of light-scattering microscopic particles that are evenly distributed to eliminate all light except blue light. In contrast to the intricately arranged configurations observed in butterfly wings, these feather structures resemble foam in their disorderliness; thus, the color remains consistent in all directions rather than fluctuating as one moves. Petacock tail plumage?

Once more, the feather's form is causal, not its pigment. However, the light-reflecting structures in this area are more crystalline in nature, resulting in a greater luminosity at specific angles. Even the color of the primate is created by the addition and subtraction of light waves due to skin structures rather than pigment. Indeed, even your azure irises are not pigment-based, but rather structured in nature. The bluest living creatures are almost exclusively found outside of the ocean, and their hues are created by microscopic structures, each of which is slightly unique. To our knowledge, no known vertebrate, including birds, mammals, or reptiles, produces a blue pigment on its body. Indeed, the only butterfly known to have deciphered the formula for producing a genuine blue pigment is that one.

Blue is an exceedingly uncommon pigment in nature. However, to the best of our knowledge, one exception exists; these are referred to as the olivewings. An organism has developed a blue pigment. They are uncommon, little is known about them, and I am not aware of any additional blue pigments. That is an exceptionally rare butterfly. Why, unlike everything else, is almost all of nature's blue composed of structures and not pigments? I have posed this inquiry to a number of color scientists, and their most promising hypothesis thus far is as follows: The ability to perceive blue light was developed by birds and butterflies at some point in the distant past.

However, they had not yet developed a method to apply that hue to their bodies. It would be comparable to transitioning from the early Beatles to Sgt. Pepper's Beatles if they could. It provided fresh prospects for survival and communication. An unexpected blue pigmentation would have necessitated the development of new chemical processes, and it was not feasible to simply encode that formula into their genetic material. It was considerably simpler for evolution to generate the color blue by altering the shape of their bodies even marginally, on the most microscopic scale, through the application of physics. Engineers were utilized to resolve a biology issue.

Curious individuals have been captivated by these hues for centuries, which is something I adore. During the sixteenth century, Robert Hooke observed peacock feathers under one of the earliest microscopes and remarked, "These hues are singularly fantastical." Since Isaac Newton's observation that these blues possessed a peculiar quality, scientists have devoted their investigations to their investigation. Not only on account of the scientific merits, but also for their aesthetic appeal. Thank you for your attention; please maintain your curiosity.