If you look at the sky and the ocean, blue may seem like a prominent color in the world. On the contrary, blue is one of the rarest colors in nature. Only 1 out of every 10 plants have blue flowers. When it comes to animals and other things found in nature, the odds of running into something blue are slim. Today, we’ll discuss why blue is so rare in nature and other interesting facts about this phenomenon.
Blue Color in Plants
Plants contribute a significant part to the ecosystem. Like painters, plants can achieve blue by naturally mixing several pigments. The likes of bluebells, cornflowers, morning glories, and dayflowers create this hue by changing the acidity levels of red pigments known as anthocyanins.
Although blue flowers are rare in plants, blue leaves are even more scarce. The only plants with blue leaves are those located at the base of the tropical rainforest. Blue-leafed plants utilize a super-efficient form of photosynthesis that allows them to use the light rejected by other plants. They derive energy even from dim light.
Blue Color in Animals
While blue is a popular color among humans, the same cannot be said for animals. Animals display skin pigments based mostly on what they eat. Take flamingoes, for instance. They are pink because they eat shrimp, which is pink, and they also consume algae that are rich in carotenoid pigments. Because animals can’t turn blue because of the food they eat, blue animals can achieve such a color by altering the wavelength of light.
A good example would be morpho butterflies. Their wings have microscopic scales that only reflect blue light. If these wings were shaped differently, morpho butterflies would have a different color. The same applies to blue-colored birds such as the blue jay. Their feathers scatter light uniquely, reflecting only the color blue. However, some animals, such as the Obrina Olivewing butterfly, naturally produce a true-blue pigment.
While it’s true that birds, insects, and reptiles can have a blue pigment, this characteristic is scarce in mammals. Some mammals with blue skin include golden snub-nosed monkeys with blue-skinned faces and some dolphin species. However, this ends at the skin, and scientists have not discovered an animal with blue fur under regular light.
Blue Color in Minerals
Blue is not just rare in plants and animals; it’s also scarce in minerals. Using the lapis lazuli mined in Afghanistan as an example, this mineral is blue because its crystal structure releases only a single electron.
Why It Is Hard to Spot Blue in Nature
One of the contributing factors to why blue is so rare in nature is based on how human beings see color. The human eyes are packed with at least 6 million light-sensitive cones. There are three cones that determine how we see the colors red, green, and blue. These cones work together to enable people to see other shades made by combining the above three. When you look at a blue plant such as the bluebell, you only see the light being reflected, not the one it’s absorbing.
Why Some Plants and Animals Are Blue
So, why do some animals and plants work so hard to have a blue pigment? From what we have learned, it’s pretty clear that this isn’t an easy task. Well, there are various reasons. For instance, having a unique color can improve pollination because bees are more attracted to blue-flowered plants. This color also comes in handy in areas with stiff competition for pollinators.
As for animals, blue colors can be used to attract a potential mating partner and keep predators at bay. Are you familiar with the fact that brightly colored animals are the most dangerous? There is a species of the poison dart frog with a blue color that acts as a defense mechanism.
Effects of Blue Being Scarce in Nature
Because of blue’s scarcity in nature, the word for it was invented after other colors, such as red, white, and black. For most cultures, the ability to dye the color blue happened later on because it wasn’t very common in nature. Records of blue dye can be traced back 6,000 years ago to the ancient Egyptians, who mixed copper oxide, calcium oxide, and silica to achieve this hue.
This scarcity of natural blue makes it a favorite color for most people. Throughout history, blue has been perceived as a high-status color and was used in royalty clothing. This color is also associated with deities such as the Virgin Mary and Krishna.