Berkeley, CA – Have humans truly seen it all after walking the Earth for thousands of years? According to a team of scientists in California, that may not be the case. Researchers in the United States claim to have encountered a color that has never been seen before through a unique experiment involving laser pulses being fired into participants’ eyes.
The team of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Ren Ng, an electrical engineer, conducted an experiment that pushed the boundaries of human perception. By stimulating individual cells in the retina with laser pulses, they were able to create a color that exceeded the natural limits of human vision. Described as a blue-green hue, the researchers named this new color “olo.”
Although the color may seem unremarkable to the naked eye, the scientists emphasized that the experience of seeing olo went far beyond the richness of any other color. Vision scientist Austin Roorda explained that olo could only be experienced through the manipulation of the retina with lasers, making it impossible to convey through standard means like articles or monitors.
The human eye perceives colors through three types of cones in the retina that are sensitive to different wavelengths of light. By targeting the medium (M) cones, which are not naturally stimulated by light, the Berkeley team was able to create a new color that fell outside the normal range of human vision. This breakthrough, published in Science Advances, opened up possibilities for further research on how the brain constructs visual perceptions.
However, not all experts are convinced by the claims of the Berkeley team. John Barbur, a vision scientist from City St George’s, University of London, disputed the novelty of the color, describing it as a more saturated green that could be generated through specific conditions in the human eye. Despite the skepticism, the researchers remain hopeful that their tool, known as Oz Vision, will lead to advancements in understanding visual perception and could potentially aid in studying color blindness and vision-related diseases.
While the idea of experiencing a new color like olo may sound fascinating, the researchers caution that this technology is still in the realm of basic science and is not expected to be integrated into everyday devices anytime soon. The implications of their discovery could pave the way for a deeper understanding of how the brain interprets visual information, opening up new possibilities for research and advancements in the field of vision science.