Cephalopods can be considered as one of the coolest (if not the coolest) groups of animals in the entire planet, because of their ability to turn invisible. Thanks to their special cells that change how light scatters off to them, cephalopods such as the octopus, the squid, and the cuttlefish, can do such a feat.
But could this ability be transferred to our own cells? That was what the new study set out to investigate.
The researchers focused on a particular species of squid called Doryteuthis opalescens, which can change a stripe along its body from white to transparent. This stripe is made up of reflective cells called leucophores, which themselves contain particles called leucosomes that are made up of proteins called reflectins. Altogether, this structure is what allows the squids to scatter light, producing iridescent camouflage.
Turns out we could introduce this camouflage mechanism to our own body cells.
More of this study over at New Atlas.
(Image Credit: Atouli Chatterjee / UC/ New Atlas)
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It may be invisible. But if it bleeds, we can kill it.
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