A thought experiment can help visualize the challenge of achieving distinctive color patterns. Imagine gently adding a drop of blue and red dye to a cup of water. The drops will slowly disperse ...

Dr. Zihao Ou, assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, holds a vial of the common yellow food coloring tartrazine in solution. In an article published in Science, Ou and ...

Lorian Schweikert was fishing in the Florida Keys when she hooked a hogfish—a type of tasty wrasse that’s known for its ability to change colors to match its coral reef environment. Schweikert dropped ...