Scientists Discover New Color "Olo" Beyond Human Vision
A groundbreaking discovery by American researchers reveals a new color, dubbed "olo," which remains invisible to the naked eye but can be experienced through advanced technology. Published in the journal Science Advances, the study highlights how a team from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington School of Medicine utilized a device reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz to explore this unseen hue.
"Olo" reportedly resembles a profoundly saturated teal, a shade described by only five individuals who participated in the experiment, including the study’s co-authors. The researchers used a method called Oz, named to evoke the trickery of the Wizard, which allows them to stimulate specific photoreceptors in the human eye using finely focused laser pulses.
Professor Ren Ng explained that human color perception relies on three types of cone cells, each responding to different light wavelengths. However, the scientific intrigue lies in stimulating the M cones alone, which normally overlap with neighboring cones, rendering certain wavelengths previously imperceptible.
Finding "olo" required precise technology initially developed to study eye diseases. The method has potential implications for color blindness, as researchers contemplate its possible future application in assisting those with color vision deficiencies.
Despite its visibility limitation, the existence of "olo" poses questions about the nature of color perception, invoking both scientific and sociolinguistic dimensions. While the shade itself has always existed, naming it expands the spectrum of human understanding. "We may not see olo on any standard displays anytime soon," noted Ng.
This innovation propels the dialogue around colors beyond human reach and sets the stage for future explorations into our complex relationship with sight and color perception.
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