The Hallucinogen Magic of Sea Sapphires

Sea sapphires are amazing creatures. These tiny crustaceans flash in brilliant shades of blue, green, red and gold, and then seem to disappear completely, as if by magic. RR Helm wrote in Deep Sea News, “When I first saw a sea sapphire I thought I was hallucinating.” She also referred to sea sapphires as “the most beautiful animal you’ve never seen.

Now, researchers have published a paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society which explains how these remarkable creatures pull off their light and invisibility trick. Those interested in the details should read: Structural Basis for the Brilliant Colors of the Sapphirinid Copepods. For the rest of us, the video below gives a more general explanation.

The secret to the sea sapphire’s colors and invisibility

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