Scientists at the University of California claimed the discovery of a new color named "olo" that had never been seen by humans before, according to BBC News. The new color, which they stated will never appear on smartphones, laptops, or TVs, was identified through an experiment involving laser pulses directed into the eyes of participants.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, involved researchers from the United States, Finland, and the United Kingdom. The scientists conducted an experiment by shining a laser beam into the eye using a technique that stimulated only the M cone cells in the retina. By doing so, participants reported seeing a color signal that would not occur in natural vision.
Professor Ren Ng of the University of California, co-author of the study and one of the five participants, described the findings as "remarkable" and the discovery as "impressive," according to BBC News. "Olo is more saturated than any color that you can see in the real world," he explained. The experiment included five participants, four men and one woman, all with normal color vision; three of the participants, including Ng, were co-authors of the scientific publication.
To verify the color observed during the experiment, each participant adjusted a color disk until it matched "Olo," but scientists stated that a picture cannot show the true image of "Olo." The color cannot be seen without specific stimulation, making it impossible for the average person to see in everyday life. "There is no way to express that color on any article or monitor," the researchers stated.
The research team used a device called Oz, which consists of mirrors, lasers, and optical components. Designed by researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Washington, Oz allowed the scientists to stimulate only M cone cells in the retina. The retina is a light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that processes visual information and converts light into electrical signals transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. It contains cone-shaped cells responsible for color perception, including three types: S, L, and M, which are sensitive to wavelengths of blue, red, and green, respectively. According to the study, "Any light that stimulates an M cone cell must also stimulate its neighboring L and/or S cones," as their functions overlap.
During the study, the laser only stimulated M cone cells, which, in theory, sent to the brain a color signal that never occurs under natural vision. "Let's say you go around your whole life and you see only pink, baby pink, a pastel pink, and then one day you go to the office and someone's wearing a shirt, and it's the most intense baby pink you've ever seen, and they say it's a new color and we call it red," said Ng.
Some experts have said that the existence of a new color remains "open to debate." Professor John Barbur, a vision scientist at City, University of London, noted that the discovery can still be considered "controversial." He explained that the experiment was a "technological feat" that stimulated cone cells, but the perceived brightness can vary depending on changes in the sensitivity of the red cone cells, something not very different from what happened in this study.
According to BBC News, the research team intends to delve into what the discovery of "olo" could mean for people with color blindness, who struggle to distinguish between some colors. Ng and his colleagues believe the study could help advance research into color blindness. "Ng admitted that although 'olo' is 'certainly very difficult to see from a technical point of view,' the team is studying the findings to explore what they could potentially mean for people with color blindness," the report stated.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.