A New Hue: Scientists Capture a Color Never Seen by Human Eyes
In April 2025, nestled in a small laboratory in Northern California, a group of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in the field of human visual perception: the invention of a new and never-before-seen color, dubbed ‘Olo.’
How exactly did this team accomplish this?
This novel hue, described as an intensely saturated teal, was discovered by these scientists using an advanced platform known as ‘Oz.’ Oz, a human-sized device created by the same scientists, was a platform designed to selectively stimulate individual retinal cells using carefully calibrated laser beams directed at a participant's eye. By targeting a specific set of cone cells in the retina of human eyes, the team was able to create a unique visual experience seen by only a handful of individuals due to the complexity and precision required in the process.
Why was this so significant, and how did this lead to the discovery of a ‘unique’ color?
How exactly did this team accomplish this?
This novel hue, described as an intensely saturated teal, was discovered by these scientists using an advanced platform known as ‘Oz.’ Oz, a human-sized device created by the same scientists, was a platform designed to selectively stimulate individual retinal cells using carefully calibrated laser beams directed at a participant's eye. By targeting a specific set of cone cells in the retina of human eyes, the team was able to create a unique visual experience seen by only a handful of individuals due to the complexity and precision required in the process.
Why was this so significant, and how did this lead to the discovery of a ‘unique’ color?
The color 'Olo' is a close blueish-green hue
Image Source: Tony Cuenca
In human eyes, color is translated through the stimulus of three types of cone cells in our retina: L, M, and S cone cells, which are all located in the back of our eyes. Each type of cone is sensitive to different wavelengths of light and, therefore, picks up different energetic signals coming in from your line of sight. S cones detect shorter and bluer wavelengths, M cones detect medium and greenish wavelengths, and L cones detect longer and reddish wavelengths. On the color spectrum, M’s detection spectrum overlaps largely with S and L spectrums due to its ability to detect medium wavelengths. Due to this, there has never been an occurrence in nature where an object can specifically stimulate M cone cells only. Usually, an array of different cone cells is stimulated, and they all, in combination, contribute to your sight and perception of colors.
These researchers at Berkeley, therefore, thought up the ingenious idea of artificially stimulating the M cone cells only, hypothesizing a specific wavelength and extremely green hue. Following through with this and personalizing each experiment to the participant, they were able to successfully isolate and stimulate the M cone cells. Each participant reported the same brightly colored ‘blue green’ or ‘peacock green’ light that contrasted distinctly from the laser beam color.
The discovery that researchers could artificially stimulate cone cells in participants has opened up a new pathway in medical studies relating to vision loss and color blindness. The ability to potentially recreate normal vision can allow medical experts and researchers to explore a future in which color vision can be restored in patients with color blindness.
These researchers at Berkeley, therefore, thought up the ingenious idea of artificially stimulating the M cone cells only, hypothesizing a specific wavelength and extremely green hue. Following through with this and personalizing each experiment to the participant, they were able to successfully isolate and stimulate the M cone cells. Each participant reported the same brightly colored ‘blue green’ or ‘peacock green’ light that contrasted distinctly from the laser beam color.
The discovery that researchers could artificially stimulate cone cells in participants has opened up a new pathway in medical studies relating to vision loss and color blindness. The ability to potentially recreate normal vision can allow medical experts and researchers to explore a future in which color vision can be restored in patients with color blindness.
Featured Image Source: Alexander Grey
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