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There Is More to a Rainbow than Meets the Eye
In this episode of the Philipendium, we examine the hidden mysteries of rainbows — along with other natural phenomena that produce colors without pigments
... In summary, the colors we see in nature are not only caused by pigments — which selectively absorb certain wavelengths of visible light — but also by other phenomena that have selective effects on different wavelengths of light. The sky is blue because more blue than red is scattered by air molecules, and therefore more blue is redirected towards our eyes. Peacocks and brilliant blue butterflies are colorful because microscopic structures in their feathers or scales have different interference effects on various wavelengths of light ...
Image credit: Eric Rolph via Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 2.5] (source)
R. Philip Bouchard
Writer, educator, and avid student of nature. See more at www.philipbouchard.com
May 30
...
There Is More to a Rainbow than Meets the Eye
In this episode of the Philipendium, we examine the hidden mysteries of rainbows — along with other natural phenomena that produce colors without pigments
... In summary, the colors we see in nature are not only caused by pigments — which selectively absorb certain wavelengths of visible light — but also by other phenomena that have selective effects on different wavelengths of light. The sky is blue because more blue than red is scattered by air molecules, and therefore more blue is redirected towards our eyes. Peacocks and brilliant blue butterflies are colorful because microscopic structures in their feathers or scales have different interference effects on various wavelengths of light ...
Image credit: Eric Rolph via Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 2.5] (source)
R. Philip Bouchard
Writer, educator, and avid student of nature. See more at www.philipbouchard.com
May 30
...