Cephalopod Camouflage Squids, octopi, cuttlefish use 3 special cell types to camouflage Chromatophores (color spots) Iridophores (blue-green, reflect iridescent light) Leucophores (white spots, reflect ambient lights) Nerves directly control cell contractions to best match light conditions “ Active camouflage”: able to be changed as surrounding conditions change. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/85/8546sci2.html

Squids, octopi, cuttlefish use 3 special cell types to camouflage

Chromatophores (color spots)

Iridophores (blue-green, reflect iridescent light)

Leucophores (white spots, reflect ambient lights)

Nerves directly control cell contractions to best match light conditions

“ Active camouflage”: able to be changed as surrounding conditions change.

Chemistry Applications Zumdahl Ch. 21: light, polarization, optically active substances, spectrophotometry. Chromatophores absorb certain colors, present the complementary colors. Reflectin proteins in iridophores have highest refractive index of any natural substance– reflect a lot of light, form diffraction grating that splits light into  Iridophores polarize light, changing the angle of rotation (optically active) to change color or communicate. Different absorption spectrums appear with chromatophore-iridophore interaction.

Zumdahl Ch. 21: light, polarization, optically active substances, spectrophotometry.

Chromatophores absorb certain colors, present the complementary colors.

Reflectin proteins in iridophores have highest refractive index of any natural substance– reflect a lot of light, form diffraction grating that splits light into 

Iridophores polarize light, changing the angle of rotation (optically active) to change color or communicate.

Different absorption spectrums appear with chromatophore-iridophore interaction.

Real-world applications Active Camouflage & Invisibility Active camouflage would allow military to conceal moving objects, or distract opponents by using disruptive patterns. Active camouflage requires rapid change of appearance at the molecular level- like cephalopods. Reflectins controlled on the nano level could bend light according to computed input. Artificial pigments like CdSe “q-dots” could achieve the same effect by contracting/expanding to change color. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucbplrd/motion/motion_middle.html

Active Camouflage & Invisibility

Active camouflage would allow military to conceal moving objects, or distract opponents by using disruptive patterns.

Active camouflage requires rapid change of appearance at the molecular level- like cephalopods.

Reflectins controlled on the nano level could bend light according to computed input.

Artificial pigments like CdSe “q-dots” could achieve the same effect by contracting/expanding to change color.