Friday Squid Blogging: New Research in How Squids Change Color
Structural colors rely exclusively on the density and shape of the material rather than its chemical properties. The latest research from the UCSB team shows that specialized cells in the squid skin called iridocytes contain deep pleats or invaginations of the cell membrane extending deep into the body of the cell. This creates layers or lamellae that operate as a tunable Bragg reflector. Bragg reflectors are named after the British father and son team who more than a century ago discovered how periodic structures reflect light in a very regular and predicable manner.
As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven’t covered.
Slack • August 23, 2013 4:28 PM
Google, Gmail and Amazon all went offline for a spell in recent days. NASDAQ ceased trading for three hours owing to a ‘technical glitch’. Looks like a movie-plot demonstration of ability, does it not?