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Science

erronis

(20,654 posts)

7. Seek and ye shall find! "carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin"

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Reply #6)

Sun Apr 7, 2024, 07:58 AM

Apr 2024

https://slightlyblue.com/nature/velella/

What’s the secret behind its magical blue color?

There are almost hundreds of things that are blue in nature, yet the Velella blue seems to be mystic. The scientific reason behind the color is the presence of a carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin. It is modified to be blue and serve to screen excess light in the bright ocean surface world. It is useful to protect the creatures from radiation they face due to constant floating at the surface.

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Hekate

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Highlight:

Blue, mysterious and arriving by the millions: the alien-like creatures blanketing US beaches [View all] cbabe Apr 2024 OP

Nothing "mysterious" Gruenemann Apr 2024 #1

Mysterious in the sense they are difficult cbabe Apr 2024 #3

Villela villela erronis Apr 2024 #2

Thanks! cbabe Apr 2024 #4

Just need to find a link to an online ".jpg" and paste that link in. erronis Apr 2024 #5

Would love to know what that blue pigment is. nt eppur_se_muova Apr 2024 #6

Seek and ye shall find! "carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin" erronis Apr 2024 #7

''It is modified to be blue" ... that's quite a trick, since the carotenoids are yellow to red -- named after carrots. eppur_se_muova Apr 2024 #8

Isn't this fun (research, collaboration)? And first DU reference to BrineShrimpDirect.com erronis Apr 2024 #9