Was It Designed: The Brilliant Blue Of The Pollia Berry

solomon507 (56)in #steemeducation • 7 years ago

All of you have been waiting for this. Like I said in my previous post "My New Blog Projects: Was It Designed & Bible's View Point!" that I will be starting two new series of article. The series will contain just twenty episode for a start then the comment, upvote and views will determine whether I should proceed to extend the series or to stop posting.

You anxious to see today's edition of the series??? Don't worry I will soon get to that. Stay calm and continue to digest.

I will need your help and support to continue and get more valuable series.

comment by @markrmorrisjr when he heard I am starting this new series.
"This is a controversial topic. It should get you some great conversation, although some will be opposed."

Now let get going.

download (1).jpeg

Image Source

The Brilliant Blue Of The Pollia Berry.

The small berry of the Pollia condensata plant can be found across Africa, they exhibit the most intense blue color ever seen in a plant. >This Pollia berry has no blue Pigment.

Secret behind this!! You want to know??

This is very simple. The cell walls of this berry are designed in a way that it contains tiny threads arranged like rows of matches. These threads form layers, each layer is positioned at a slight angle to the layer below so that the rising layer form a helical or spiral pattern.

The thread themselves are not blue in color.
Then where do the blue color come from you might wonder??
The color comes from the way the threads are stacked. Thus, structure and not pigment is the Key to the berry's intense metallic hue and iridescence. Most cells appear blue but from a different angle, some emit a green, pink, or yellow hue because of subtle changes in the layers.

images (5).jpeg

Image Source

However, when examined closely, the colors are not smooth and even but appear pixelated like the color on a computer screen.

Since Pollia berries have no pigment, they keep their color even after they drop from the plant. In fact, some berries collected over a century ago look as brilliant as fresh ones! Even though the berry has no edible pulp, just seeds, it sends an irresistible signal to nearby birds, according to research.