A group of scientists has found a brand-new color called ‘Olo’, something that no one in the world had ever seen before. According to a study published on April 18 in Science Advances, only five people have seen this color. They described it as similar to peacock blue or teal, but much more intense and vivid than anything we’ve seen before.
How Did Scientists See the New Color?
To see Olo, scientists used a special laser that sends tiny pulses directly into the eye. These pulses stimulate parts of the eye in a way that natural light never does. This method pushes the eye beyond its normal limits, letting the brain experience something completely new.
A Reaction Beyond Expectations
Ren Ng, an electrical engineer at the University of California, Berkeley, said that they expected something new—but not like this. “It was jaw-dropping. It’s incredibly saturated,” he shared.
Austin Roorda, a vision scientist on the team, also confirmed the uniqueness. “There’s no way to show Olo on a screen or in print,” he said. “Even though we can show something close, it doesn’t match the real experience.”
What Does ‘Olo’ Look Like?
To help people imagine it, scientists shared an image of a turquoise square. However, they admit that the picture does not do justice to the actual color. The true version of Olo is richer, brighter, and more intense than anything shown on a monitor or smartphone screen.
How Human Eyes See Colors
The human eye sees color using special cells in the retina called cones. There are three types of cones:
- L cones – for long wavelengths (like red)
- M cones – for medium wavelengths
- S cones – for short wavelengths (like blue)
Natural light usually doesn’t activate M cones by themselves. So, scientists used lasers to specifically target those M cones, making the eye process light in a completely new way. That’s how they created the new color signal—Olo.
Can We See Olo in Daily Life?
Unfortunately, no. Scientists clearly say that we won’t be seeing Olo on phones, TVs, or even virtual reality headsets anytime soon. The color exists only under very special lab conditions using advanced laser technology.
Why This Discovery Matters
Even though we can’t see Olo naturally, this discovery shows how much more the human brain and eye can do when pushed. It opens up new possibilities in vision science, optical tech, and understanding how we perceive the world.
