3 ms·
The color is absolutely real. Many Hymenoptera, and other insects have this coloration. It structural, not pigment, bouncing light around via microscopic groov
by xipho 6y ago
The color is absolutely real. Many Hymenoptera, and other insects have this coloration. It structural, not pigment, bouncing light around via microscopic grooves and ridges. Fun fact, most Hymenoptera are also very very small, ~2mm or so, and some the chalcid, or jewel-wasps are very often iridescent.
Someone just pulled off this same effect with Chocolate a while back. [1] (NTY paywall]
[1](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/21/science/chocolate-irisdescent-rainbow.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/21/science/chocolate-irisdes...)
- Eiriksmal 6y agoThe iridescent blue color of the massive Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter wasp is stunning to see in real life: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=steel+blue+cricket+hunter&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=steel+blue+cricket+hunter&i...
- dTal 6y agoI know someone who pulled off holographic chocolate - 3D images - several decades ago. The technique is more or less just lithography on a mould. Turns out people aren't interested in actually eating it. They assume there's some weird coating.