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Researchers have announced the existence of a new color, identified through a groundbreaking study focusing on the stimulation of certain retinal cells.
While imagining a completely new color may seem impossible, five participants in this study reportedly experienced a color that was previously unknown to them.
Published in the journal Science Advances on April 18, 2025, the study details a process in which a laser is used to activate specific retinal cells, providing visual experiences that cannot be achieved through natural light alone.
Participants described a color referred to as “olo,” characterized as a “blue-green of unprecedented saturation.”
Scientists claim there’s a new color based on an experiment
The new color, named “olo,” is represented in the study by an image that closely matches it.
The research focused on the eye’s cone cells, responsible for detecting different wavelengths of light—long, medium, and short. Specifically, the laser was designed to activate only the medium-wavelength cones, a phenomenon that does not occur spontaneously.
Consequently, the color olo is invisible to the naked eye without this precise stimulation.
The participants, all of whom had normal color vision, utilized a device comprised of mirrors and lasers known as “Oz.” This setup theoretically facilitated the display of colors beyond what is usually perceivable by humans.
In an interview with BBC, Professor Ng, a co-author of the study and participant in the experiment, expressed that olo exhibits a level of saturation beyond any color visible in the natural world.
He illustrated his point by comparing it to how someone might perceive a new shade of pink, describing it as an experience much like discovering the color red, if one had only seen various shades of pink prior to that moment.
However, not everyone agrees that this represents a truly new color. Vision scientist John Barbur from City St George’s, University of London argued that olo is simply a more vivid shade of green that can be perceived under specific conditions. He also suggested that the research has “limited value.”
Regarding the potential for the broader public to perceive this new color, Professor Ng emphasized that the findings represent foundational science and suggested it is unlikely to be viewed on current smartphone displays or televisions in the near future, indicating a significant gap from existing virtual reality technologies.
Source
www.dexerto.com