The Cambridge Animal Alphabet series celebrates Cambridge's connections with animals through literature, art, science and society. Here, K is for Kingfisher. Look out for them among the swamp cypresses at the Botanic Garden, where the secrets behind their cyan and blue feathers are being studied by an extraordinary collaboration of scientists.
The dottyback changes its colour to match surrounding damselfish species, enabling it to counter the defences of its damselfish prey by disguising itself as a harmless part of their community, then swoop in to hunt their young.
Unique blue fruit’s colour does not fade even after a century
Unique blue fruit’s colour does not fade even after a century
Scientists discover why buttercups reflect yellow on chins – and it doesn’t have anything to do with whether you like butter. The new research sheds light on children’s game and provides insight into pollination.
The conventional colours of Christmas – red and green – are not, as many might suppose, a legacy of the Victorians. Instead, they hark back to the Middle Ages and perhaps even earlier, according to Cambridge research scientist Dr Spike Bucklow.
Research reveals plumages exhibit less than a third of possible colours birds can see.
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