The average human eye is capable of distinguishing nearly 10 million colors. However, scientists have recently expanded this color palette by introducing an entirely new hue. According to a study published in Science Advances, researchers utilized a sophisticated laser system to stimulate the retinas of five individuals, enabling them to perceive a color beyond the conventional spectrum—a deeply saturated bluish-green.
Human retinas have three types of cone cells that respond to different wavelengths of light: S cones are sensitive to short wavelengths (blue), M cones to medium wavelengths (green), and L cones to long wavelengths (red). These signals are then combined in the brain to produce the rich array of colors we see. However, the stimulation of one type of cone generally triggers the others due to their overlapping sensitivity ranges, as explained by Ren Ng, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Ng and his team embarked on overcoming this limitation with a technique they named “Oz,” inspired by the vibrant green seen in the Emerald City in *The Wizard of Oz*. The method involved using lasers to target light specifically at M cones without activating the others. The researchers first mapped a portion of the retina to identify each cone type and then directed the laser light precisely to M cones.
The setup for this experiment was far from comfortable or consumer-friendly, mainly focusing on basic visual science and neuroscience. Interestingly, three of the five subjects in the study were its co-authors, and the other two were colleagues from the University of Washington who were not briefed on the study’s goals.
Ng, who was also a participant, described the setup in a dimly lit lab filled with lasers, mirrors, and light detectors. He had to remain incredibly still, biting down on a bar while the laser targeted his retina. This allowed him to see a new color named “olo,” which appeared as a small square of intensely saturated blue-green light.
The color “olo” as described by Ng, had an unprecedented level of saturation. It resembled teal but exceeded the saturation limits displayable on computer screens or perceivable in the natural environment. To imagine “olo,” one might start with teal and increase the saturation beyond any existing standard until it reaches a hypothetical extreme only achievable with specialized laser light.
Further experiments involved comparing the newly seen “olo” with a teal-colored laser by adjusting their saturation. These tests confirmed that “olo” indeed represents a color beyond the typical range of human vision, as adding white light to “olo” made it comparable to the teal laser light.
Manuel Spitschan, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and the Technical University of Munich not involved in the study, praised the technical sophistication and the potential implications of this research. He noted the exciting possibilities it opens for understanding color vision and photoreceptor mechanisms.
Ng’s team hopes to eventually develop technology that could project images directly onto the retina, creating perfectly crisp visuals in colors that don’t exist in the normal viewing spectrum. Such technology would be challenging to create but is considered within the realm of possibility. Additionally, the “Oz” technique might temporarily enable people with color blindness to perceive colors they have never seen, though it is not a permanent solution.
Maarten Kamermans from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, also not involved in the study, expressed enthusiasm for the potential applications of this technology in research, particularly in simulating how other species perceive colors, which could provide insightful comparative perspectives.
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Cameron Aldridge combines a scientific mind with a knack for storytelling. Passionate about discoveries and breakthroughs, Cameron unravels complex scientific advancements in a way that’s both informative and entertaining.