Nature's Mood Rings: How Chameleons Really Change Color | Deep Look

Chameleons don't change color to match their environment; it’s just the opposite. How do they do it? By manipulating tiny crystals in their skin. Now, UC Berkeley researchers are on a quest to create synthetic chameleon skin inspired by these reptiles’ uncanny ability.

DEEP LOOK: a new ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Get a new perspective on our place in the universe and meet extraordinary new friends. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small.

--- How do Chameleons Change Color?

Chameleons are some of the most brilliantly colored animals on the planet. But how did they evolve the ability to change color?

Scientists used to believe that chameleons changed color by spreading out pigments in their skin, much like octopuses or squid do.

The top layer of chameleon skin – called the epidermis – contains yellow pigment cells called xanthophores, and red pigment cells called erythrophores. But the amount of pigment in the cells stays the same, even when the chameleon changes color.

Just beneath the chameleon’s skin is a layer of cells called iridophores. These cells contain microscopic salt crystals, which are arranged in a three-dimensional pattern like oranges stacked on a fruit stand.

When light hits the crystals, some wavelengths are absorbed and some are reflected. The result, to our eyes, is the beautiful rainbow of colors on the chameleon’s skin. But what we’re actually seeing is light that is bouncing off of these tiny crystals. What we perceive as green, for example, is blue wavelengths of light being reflected off the crystals and through the layer of yellow xanthophore cells in the chameleon’s epidermis. The result is bright green skin that contains no green pigment!

The process of changing color is called metachrosis.

--- Why do Chameleons Change Color?

Chameleons don’t change color to match their environment. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

Their baseline is camouflage.

When chameleons are relaxed, they’re mostly green. They naturally blend into their home in the forest canopy. They even mimic leaves by dancing around a little.

But when they feel threatened, annoyed, or just want to show a little swagger, that’s when their color changes.

Scientists once thought that chameleons color-changing abilities allowed them to better camouflage themselves. Most species of chameleons live high in the forest canopy and their various shades of green provide natural camouflage. Even their movement provides camouflage – they dance around to mimic leaves blowing in the wind.

In fact, chameleons change color primarily to communicate with each other, as though they were living mood rings. Males will warn each other about their territory and females will change color to let males know whether they’re interested in breeding.

Chameleons also have a second layer of iridiophore cells just beneath the first. The crystals in that layer are larger and reflect light waves in the infrared wavelengths. This suggests that chameleons are also changing colors to regulate their temperature, according to Milinkovitch. Chameleons are cold-blooded and heat their bodies with the warmth of the sun.

Read the article for this video on KQED Science:

--- More great DEEP LOOK episodes:

Where Are the Ants Carrying All Those Leaves?

What Happens When You Put a Hummingbird in a Wind Tunnel?

Pygmy Seahorses: Masters of Camouflage

--- Related video from the PBS Digital Studios Network!

Nature's Most Amazing Animal Superpowers - It’s Okay to be Smart

--- Other Great Science Videos About Chameleons

How Do Chameleons Change Color? - Veritasium

True Facts About The Chameleon - zefrank1

--- More KQED SCIENCE:

Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is supported by HopeLab, The David B. Gold Foundation; S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation; The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation; The Vadasz Family Foundation; Smart Family Foundation and the members of KQED.
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[cordilleraproduction]

Hi! My name is Jason Jaacks and I produced this episode of Deep Look. I couldn't believe that Dr. Connie Chang-Hasnain at UC Berkeley had developed a way to make synthetic chameleon skin -- what incredible animals to be inspired by. Leave any questions you have in the comments and thanks for watching!

[codiserville]

I like how you had the humbleness and wisdom to say "We are still learning and not always right"

[emillyc]

Binge watching all of your videos, it's so short yet fun and informative! We totally need more of these!

[braincraft]

Your amazing cinematography continues to amaze! This looks unreal in 4K. Great video!

[TheShapingSickness]

I've always loved Chameleons, they're so unique!

[guivecchi]

I don't usually comment on YouTube videos, but your videos are so awesome that I have to say a "thank you" every time I watch one of them! Then... Thank you for another amazing video, I'm impressed with the quality! Cheers from Brazil

[mpisrandom]

Keep doing what you do guys, I'm sure it won't be long before many more people notice this fantastic channel.

[Roulettesplay]

I look forward to every video you guys release, please keep up the amazing work <3

[transientwayfarer]

Incredible! I love both the informative content and the meditative endings. Science and poetry are not so separate as many depict them to be!

[MShah-wgiq]

A beautiful video, very beautifully presented :)

[tomkerr]

I can't get enough of this series it just ceases to amaze me how great, magnificent and well researched these videos are. They never stop to make me look in another direction of life, keep up the great work.

[EugiBerna]

I am just so thankful for all the first line research you’re sharing (and for the way you are sharing it)! We definitely need more -much more- channels like this!

[jeffreyyu]

"WHAT!? Why would you not use your colour change for camouflage? Let me get this straight, you've got the most powerful stealth ability in the game and you're using it for emotes?"

[sukyzheng]

Why chameleons are so awesome. I've always thought the same! I though chameleons spread pigment, but I can't believe it... salt? That's just simply amazing. Nature plus deep look equals heaven.

[tysonminecraftrobot]

It is so strange to think that there are colors we can't even see or imagine because such a color has never been see by human eyes its a concept that gets me thinking

[brandongaines]

This synthetic chameleon skin could be used in E-readers to recreate color images without a backlit screen :-D

[animeaunty]

Chameleons r amazing. They have so many sophisticated adaptations on 1 organism. Tounge, eyes, skin, tail...I don't recall many others that have so many n just 1 critter.

[Guns]

Could you put some scientific references in the description? Please, that could be more helpfully to spread the knowledge and students. thanks. Keep with your fantastic work guys!

[vinceespada]

wow, your vids always have vibrant colors

[tonymorena]

Response, cause and effect, is the fundamental language of consciousness. Emotion or mood shift is a chemical attack, a physical response, so for e.g. love, hate, fear is just a chemical attack. Colour is frequency, vibration range of particles determines colour effect. Without mention of sound, energy, time and unconsciousness, it is easy to explain the Response, cause and effect of the chameleon. Same explanation goes for the octopus too.