Scientists are stunned by this bird’s feathers, which are so black they absorb 99.9% of light
Mike Wehner
January 10th, 2018 at 12:31 PM
In nature, bright colors are useful in a variety of ways. Some insects sport eye-catching colors that warn would-be predators that they’re poisonous, and many plants produce colorful flowers that attract insects which aid in pollination. In mating, many species of birds use bold colors to attract mates, but one bird of paradise species does things a little differently. Rather than being covered in color, the birds are largely covered in soft black feathers which absorb so much light that they rival manmade materials.
When the male of the species begins its mating ritual, it raises its wings into a cone-like shape, revealing a bright patch of bluish-green feathers surrounded by incredibly black plumage. Researchers from Yale decided to take a closer look at those dark feathers and what they found was something truly remarkable. Their work was published in Nature Communications.
http://bgr.com/2018/01/10/blackest-bird-of-paradise-black-feathers/
