Nature comes in a variety of striking colors, but all that beauty didn't evolve for our enjoyment. Conspicuous colors tend to be signals, often helping animals woo mates or warn predators. Yet the ...

A few years ago, Professor Liz Tibbetts stumbled upon something surprising. She noticed that wasps had striking facial features—including fake eyelines and distinctive marks. At the time, people ...

Animals sculpt the optical properties of their tissues at the nanoscale to give themselves “structural colors.” New work is piecing together how they do it. Peacocks, panther chameleons, scarlet ...

Animals change colour primarily for survival. This ability, called chromatic adaptation, helps them blend into their surroundings to avoid predators or to sneak up on prey. It's an essential form of ...

Mike Webster works for the University of St Andrews. He receives funding from the University of St Andrews and various research organisations. Many animals live in groups. One of the main benefits of ...