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Iridiscent Feathers, Why?
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Now scientists in China say they have uncovered the exact mechanisms used by one species to produce the iridescent green, blue, yellow, and brown tiny feather tips that comprise the bird's distinctive ornament
The male peacock tail contains spectacular beauty because of the brilliant, iridescent, diversified, colorful eye patterns," said Jian Zi, a physicist at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and lead author of the study published online earlier this week in the science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Male peacocks shed and re-grow tail feathers each year. The plumage is prized throughout the world as an exotic decoration.
Researchers found that the feathers' bright colors are produced not by pigments, but rather by tiny, intricate two-dimensional crystal-like structures. Slight alterations in the spacing of these microscopic structures cause different wavelengths of light to be filtered and reflected, creating the feathers' many different iridescent hues.
Simple and Ingenious
Sir Isaac Newton, the 17th- and 18th-century British mathematician and physicist, was among the first to suggest that tiny, layered structures were responsible for producing color in peacock feathers, and other iridescent insects and birds.
But until now, the exact physical mechanism by which different colors are produced has not been known, said Zi. "Our work has [now] revealed
ingenious and simple mechanisms of color production in peacock feathers," he said.
Most of the color we see in nature is due to pigmentation, substances that selectively absorb light at some wavelengths and reflect it in others. Plant chlorophyll, for example, absorbs and reflects all wavelengths of light except green. Other examples include pigments that produce the color in human hair and skin.
But some animals have hit on a completely different evolutionary strategy, using microscopic, translucent structures to selectively filter and reflect light. Examples of such structure-generated colors can be seen in shimmering metallic butterfly and moth scales, beetle wing cases, and the feathers of hummingbirds, peacocks and birds of paradise. Similar reflective structures made from silica are also responsible for the shimmering color found in opals.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1016_031017_peacockcolors.html |
liquidsunshine, marhowie, dew77, vanderschelden has marked this note useful
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Nicely captured Luis,
Good detail, colours and sharpness. exposure and lighting are good. Good POV and composition.
Thanks for posting, have a great weekend.
Hello Luis,
Colourful!!
Well framed too, with great details and a fine reproduction of the feather coat...
Greetings,
Pablo -
- aido
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-n.gif)
(4046) - [2006-07-08 4:49]
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Hi Luis,
Excellent shot. I like the low-angle POV a lot, almost looking up at the Peacock. Great detail, beautiful colours and wonderful light and exposure. Perfect DOF, a really nice portrait. A very interesting note too, something I didn't know. Great shot and a great post.
Regards,
Adrian
Hello Luis,
Good shot with great color, detail, exposure, DOF, and color. Very interesting note on this as well.
Nicely done & Thank You!
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- dew77
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(13209) - [2006-07-13 4:14]
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Hello Luis,
Magnificent capture.Vivid colors are amazing.I liked POV,lighting,details,sharpness,BG,3D effect,pose of peacock and composition a lot.
TFS...:-)
Hi Luis,
Excellent shot with great and deep colors. Great shot and a great post.
Regards,
Hamid
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 41 W: 0 N: 69]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif){kind=small}