Scientists Announce Discovery of an Unprecedented Color—Only Seen by Five Individuals

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The color, dubbed olo, is described as an intensely saturated teal. Researchers say it might have applications in understanding color blindness

Sara Hashemi

April 22, 2025 11:37 a.m.

Recent research has unveiled a novel color, referred to as “olo,” which was experienced by five participants during a unique experiment involving laser stimulation of their eyes. This groundbreaking discovery highlights the intricate workings of human color perception.

The vibrant color, characterized as a “blue-green of unprecedented saturation,” was detailed in a paper published in the journal Science Advances last week.

“It was astonishing. It’s remarkably saturated,” remarked Ren Ng, an electrical engineering researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who was both a co-author of the study and a participant. “We anticipated that it would manifest as an extraordinary color signal, but we were unsure how the brain would interpret it,” he shared with Ian Sample at Guardian.

The retina’s ability to discern color relies on three types of cone cells responding to different light wavelengths: L cones for long wavelengths (red), M cones for medium wavelengths (green), and S cones for short wavelengths (blue).

Under ordinary circumstances, activation of the M cones often coincides with the stimulation of S or L cones due to their overlapping wavelengths. This led the researchers to inquire about the effects of isolating the stimulation to only the M cones. To achieve this, they utilized an innovative device called Oz, which employs lasers to target individual cone cells.

The study included five participants, comprising four males and one female, with three being part of the research team while the other two were unaware of the study’s purpose. Initially, researchers mapped the participants’ retinas to locate the cone cells before proceeding to stimulate the M cones exclusively using laser technology. Participants were then asked to describe their visual experience. Ng elaborates that olo is “more saturated than any color you can find in the real world.”

To verify that the participants were indeed perceiving a new color, they underwent a color-matching test, wherein они compared olo with an adjustable hue. The participants chose a teal shade and adjusted the parameters by adding or removing white light until the saturation of the perceived olo matched that of the teal. Intriguingly, all confirmed that by incorporating white light, they could desaturate olo to align it with their chosen teal.

“This is a fascinating study that represents significant progress in our understanding of the physiological foundations of color vision,” commented Manuel Spitschan, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, who was not involved in the study. “It remains to be seen how such advancements can be practically applied.”

There is speculation among some researchers regarding potential medical implications. Andrew Stockman, a vision researcher at University College London, pointed out that beyond being a whimsical observation, the findings might assist individuals with red-green color blindness to experience more typical visual perception.

However, skepticism exists regarding whether olo can genuinely be classified as a new color. John Burbur, a vision researcher at the University of London, expressed his doubts, stating in the Guardian that the phenomenon has “limited value,” arguing that it is effectively a more saturated green, produced under specific conditions.

At this stage, the public’s access to olo remains restricted, as the color can only be perceived using the specialized Oz laser setup in a laboratory environment. “This research is foundational science,” Ng stated. “Don’t expect to see olo featured on your smartphone screens or televisions anytime soon; it’s well beyond current VR technology.”

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