Colour
Red and orange and yellow and green - as heard in the nursery song 'I can sing a rainbow' we live in a world vibrant with colour. This ranges from red (700nm) to violet (400nm) in our visible spectrum; a specific region within the electromagnetic spectrum of light. We see the colours of objects as they reflect certain wavelengths from this spectrum, and photoreceptors (rods and cones) in our eyes are waiting to detect them. Humans have three types of cones, but some species such as birds and fish, have four, allowing them to detect and respond to signals invisible to us, such as ultraviolet light.
We finally know whether people see colours differently, scientists say
Many of us have wondered whether the colours we see look the same as those seen by others.
Dopamine dressing: Can what I wear really affect my mood?
Dopamine dressing may one of the hottest TikTok trends, but is there any science to it?
How is colour added to the JWST images? An astronomer explains
The James Webb Space Telescope collects images in greyscale as it operates mostly in the near- and mid-infrared spectrum. So how are we seeing colour images?
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The Sun: Everything you need to know
The Sun is at the heart of our Solar System, and accounts for over 99 per cent of the total mass.
What is watermelon snow?
It's also known as blood snow, pink snow, or red snow.
What is synaesthesia?
Approximately 4 per cent of people experience some type of synaesthesia.
What is the best way to decorate my house, according to science?
Different colours can affect how you feel, so it's worth paying attention to the function of the room when deciding on paint schemes.
What is tetrachromacy and how do I know if I’ve got it?
Some people have a special adaptation that allows them potentially to see a hundred times more colours than the rest of us.
Why do our veins look blue?
It's not because deoxygenated blood is blue.
Is pink a real colour?
Forget rose-tinted glasses, you can thank our brains for remixing information received through our peepers for the pink colours we can see.
Why is flash photography banned from most museums?
Is it a way of reducing damage to works of art or increasing sales in the museum gift shop? Chemistry expert Emma Davies sheds some light.
What colour is the Sun?
Colours of stars depends on their surface temperature as well as the wavelength the human eye can perceive.
What is the average colour of the Universe?
Astrophysicist Dr Alastair Gunn explains how scientists calculated the Universe’s average hue – and what it looks like.
What science connects taekwondo and chainsaws?
Plus: how chainsaws are also connected to human babies.
What animals are on David Attenborough's Life in Colour episode 2?
The second and final episode of Attenborough's newest documentary is on tonight. Here are the stunning animals you'll get to see.
What animals are on David Attenborough's Life in Colour episode 1?
Attenborough's newest documentary starts tonight. Here are the incredible animals you'll get to see.
Why do we have favourite colours?
Asked by: Yasmin Hayes (aged 14), London
Do subatomic particles have a colour?
Asked by: Matilda Wicks, Brighton
Revealing the psychology of colour to be a rainbow rollercoaster of emotion
Red might be the universal colour of love, but psychologists have find cultural differences in the emotions we associate with the colour spectrum.
Why is the sky blue?
Asked by: Natalie Weaver (aged 11)
Source of Viburnum tinus plant's iridescent blue fruit discovered
Researchers say the fruit uses fat structure more common in animals to produce colour, which may, in turn, attract birds.
Glasses for the colour blind make visible a whole world of colour
Red-green colour blindness is a genetic condition, affecting genes on the X chromosome that code for light receptors in the eye.
Ultra-black deep-sea fish have skin that can absorb 99.9 per cent of light
This intense black colour improves their chances of survival.
Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring 'painted with Peak District pigments'
Dutch research project using hi-tech scans uncovers unknown details about how the Dutch master painted his iconic masterpiece.