• Question: What is the purpose of colours?

    Asked by elmo97 to Andrew, Marianne on 24 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Marianne Baker

      Marianne Baker answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      Awesome question, elmo!

      I think it’s a little bit of a mystery.
      However, I’d like to switch your q around a little if I may.

      Colours exist; it’s just part of the EM spectrum – we happen to be able to see it. Some animals (e.g. snakes and I think some birds of prey) can see into the UV/Infra red bits that we can’t.

      The question is, why has sight evolved. It’s clearly useful. Many species have utilised colour for communication (see the chameleon Q!) – mating, warnings etc. Or to survive; like the pilot fish and its little lamp to attract food in the dark sea depths.

      I think it’s the consensus that plants first adapted to use colour, to improve their chances of spreading – attract things to your flower to take pollen to another flower, and to eat your fruit so that your seeds get spread around.

      It’s a fascinating sort-of mystery! I’m sure there are better explanations around, let’s have a search…

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      I think they have many purposes. Like the question about the chameleons.

      Animals seem to use colour to attract mates, warn off predators and signal to each other. I guess humans are the same to some extent.

    • Photo: Andrew Maynard

      Andrew Maynard answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      Hi elmo97,

      My wife says “to make the world more beautiful!”

      Different colours – as in different wavelengths of light – are just there. They don’t have any inherent purpose. But we have evolved to take advantage of them. Can you imagine what it would be like to be human if we couldn’t see different colours?

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