Blog

Thoughts on science, design, and the creative process. This space is for long-form essays that connect research, natural phenomena, and design ideas.

Visual representations of structural coloration mechanisms in nature, showcasing the nanoscale architectures that produce blue hues through optical interference rather than pigment-based chemistry.

References

Pigmentation and Biochemical Constraints

VonHoldt, B. M., Bailey, E., & Eizirik, E. (2021). Animal Pigmentation Genetics in Ecology, Evolution, and Domestication. Journal of Heredity, 112(5), 393-394. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esab040

General Structural Coloration

Cann, D. (2025). Color in Biological Systems-Structural Coloration. In A World of Color. Springer Nature.
"Structural coloration." Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026.

Butterflies (Blue Morpho)

Giraldo, M. A., Yoshioka, S., Liu, C., & Stavenga, D. G. (2016). Coloration mechanisms and phylogeny of Morpho butterflies. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219(24), 3936-3944. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.148726
Zhang, S., & Chen, Y. (2015). Nanofabrication and coloration study of artificial Morpho butterfly wings with aligned lamellae layers. Scientific Reports, 5, 16637. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep16637

Birds (Avian Structural Blue)

Saranathan, V., & Finet, C. (2021). Cellular and developmental basis of avian structural coloration. Current Opinion in Genetics & Development, 69, 56-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gde.2021.02.004
Kim, S., Kang, J., & Yeo, J. S. (2025). Structural Insights into the Mechanisms Behind Avian Structural Coloration. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 31(Suppl_1). https://doi.org/10.1093/mam/ozaf048.370

Rare True Blue Pigment (Nessaea Butterflies)

Vane-Wright, R. I. (1979). The coloration, identification and phylogeny of Nessaea butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology Series, 38(2), 17-77.

Photonic Crystals and Materials Science Perspective

Zi, J., Dong, B., Zhan, T., & Liu, X. (2012). Photonic Structures for Coloration in the Biological World. In Bioinspiration. Springer.
Vukusic, P., & Stavenga, D. G. (2009). Physical methods for investigating structural colours in biological systems. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 6(Suppl 2), S133-S148. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2008.0386.focus