Squid's Reflectin-Powered Color Transition

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squid iridophore cells

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longfin inshore squids

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Science

Scientists unlock the light-bending secrets of squid skin

Summary

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85% Informative

Scientists at UC Irvine found squid's ability to rapidly and reversibly transition from transparent to colored is remarkable.

They uncovered a hidden forest of nano-columns built from an uncommon protein called reflectin .

Reflectin platelets form spiral columns inside iridophores, enabling cephalopods to control how their skin transmits and reflects light.

They added nanostructured metal films, enabling the materials to shift appearance in the infrared spectrum.

The next chapter, as Gorodetsky ’s group sees it, will be written where biology and engineering merge. The squid’s split- second shape-shifting trick has journeyed from the Atlantic deep to a microscope slide and into a polymer film. Soon, it may appear on your jacket sleeve or smartphone case, blending vivid color with invisible infrared control just like in cephalopods. The study is published in the journal Science . — Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. —.

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English

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