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Attracting a mate, nano-style
by
Michael Brown, RSC
—
last modified
06-12-09 04:28 AM
Copyright 2009, RSC
The Plum-throated Cotinga's turquoise colour could occur because of nanostructures in its feathers
Some of the most vivid colours in the animal kingdom are produced by nanostructures scattering light, rather than pigments, say US researchers.
Eric Dufresne and Richard Prum from Yale University and colleagues looked at how bird feather barbs, the structures that branch from the main feather shaft, gave the birds their colours. They found that the barbs contain nanostructures that scatter different light wavelengths, producing the colours.
More: http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemScience/Volume/2009/06/Attracting_mate_nanostyle.asp
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