Scientists Discover “Olo,” a New Color Never Before Seen by Humans: A Deep Dive into Vision Innovation
Imagine seeing a color so vibrant, so saturated, that it surpasses anything found in nature. That's precisely what scientists at UC Berkeley have achieved, unveiling a brand new color called "olo," a unique blue-green hue. This groundbreaking discovery, made possible through a novel technique called "Oz," not only pushes the boundaries of our understanding of human vision but also holds promise for treating eye diseases and potentially enhancing color perception. This is a big step, and worth exploring the benefits.
The "Oz" platform, developed by researchers led by Professor Austin Roorda and Professor Ren Ng, utilizes precisely targeted laser light to stimulate up to 1,000 photoreceptors in the eye simultaneously. James Carl Fong, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley, aptly named the color "olo," drawing inspiration from the Emerald City in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," signifying a journey to witness a color previously unimaginable.
"It was like a profoundly saturated teal … the most saturated natural color was just pale by comparison," Roorda explained. The ability to manipulate photoreceptors at this level of precision, as highlighted in their study published in Science Advances, offers unprecedented insights into the intricacies of human color vision and the causes of vision loss.
Only five individuals have experienced "olo" firsthand. The process involves beaming a carefully calibrated laser into the eye, tracing a square pattern on the retina. This requires precise timing and targeting to compensate for constant eye movements, a challenge that took years to refine. The Oz system then flashes low-power lasers, meticulously engineered for safety. Participants described the experience as seeing a color more saturated than any monochromatic light, such as a green laser pointer.
Hannah Doyle, a doctoral student and co-lead author, envisions using the "Oz" platform to simulate cone cell loss associated with degenerative eye diseases. This could revolutionize diagnostics and treatment by allowing researchers to observe how the brain compensates for vision loss in real-time.
But the team's ambitions extend beyond clinical applications. Professor Ng muses about the potential for uncovering entirely new dimensions of color perception, even beyond the capabilities of tetrachromats, individuals who can perceive millions more colors than the average person. "What if there was a fourth dimension of color that went beyond that? A whole continuum of colors beyond the ones that we think of in the rainbow already," Ng wondered.
The discovery of "olo" raises fundamental questions about how the brain interprets sensory input and whether it can adapt to entirely novel stimuli. As Roorda puts it, "It's still a mystery whether, if you expand the signals or generate new sensory inputs, will the brain be able to make sense of them and appreciate them? And, you know, I like to believe that it can. I think that the human brain is this really remarkable organ that does a great job of making sense of inputs, existing or even new."
This isn't just about a new color; it's about unlocking the secrets of human vision and potentially opening up entirely new realms of sensory experience. What do you think? How might this discovery impact art, technology, or medicine? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related issues news
How to see the color olo?
The researchers based in the United States said they were able to u201cexperienceu201d the colour, which they named u201colou201d, by firing laser pulses into their eyes using a device named after the Wizard of Oz. Olo cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the five people who have seen it describe it as being similar to teal.
What is the new color?
The new color, called 'olo,' is 'more saturated than any color that you can see in the real world,' said a researcher, but whether it is truly 'new' is still up for debate.
