CRC1411 Researchers Collaborate with GEO Magazine

Researchers from the CRC1411 have teamed up with the renowned magazine GEO to co-author an article on structural colors in animals. The piece, published on GEO.de, explores the fascinating mechanisms behind the vibrant and shimmering colors found in nature.

Unlike pigment-based colors, structural colors arise from microscopic surface structures that manipulate light through reflection and interference. This phenomenon creates the brilliant, iridescent hues seen in butterfly wings, peacock feathers, and beetle shells.

CRC1411 spokesperson Nicolas Vogel contributed scientific insights to the article, explaining how nanostructures interact with light to produce these striking effects. The article also features microscopic images of butterflies wings and peacock feathers by Carina Bittner and Giulia Magnabosco. Nicolas Vogel’s group research not only enhances the understanding of biological coloration in animals but also inspires the development of new materials and technologies based on nature’s principles.

This collaboration highlights the importance of fundamental research and its role in making complex scientific topics accessible to a broader audience, one of the goals of the outreach project of CRC1411. The full article, complete with stunning imagery and detailed explanations, is available on GEO.de: Read the article here.