COLOURS IN NATURE

Our natural world is a splash
    of eye-catching
                     Colours.
                Earth itself has been called the 'blue planet'
                         because when viewed from outer space it has
                                 a distinctive blue colour.
Shades of green found in nature are largely due to plants. A plants called chlorophyll gives leaves and vegetation their green colour. But as spring unfolds to autumn, the chlorophyll in leaves decay. Little by little, the green colour fades and is replaced by the oranges and reds of another pigment called carotenoids. Carotenoids, one of the most common group of pigments, are also responsible for the wonderful rosy pink colour of flamingoes and salmon.

The word 'purple' comes from the word 'purpura' that describes a marine snail from which the original purple colour (the Tyrian purple) dye was derived.

Everything that occurs in nature, including colour is there for a reason. For instance, flowers are brightly coloured to attract the attention of honeybees. Similarly, the grasshopper too uses the green colour of its body for a purpose- not to draw attention, but to hide in the green grass and become unnoticeable to its prey. This way, the creature uses colour to increase its chances of survival.

                         Quite literally, the natural
                           world surrounding us is
                          alive with colours!