Squid Skin Secrets: How Nature Inspires Advanced Tech
Scientists Uncover the Biology Behind Rapid Color Change, Leading to Innovative Materials
Squid, celebrated for their ability to transform colors, have long mystified biologists. A recent study has finally unveiled the physical mechanism at play, showcasing how these creatures achieve their dazzling displays. The findings are already inspiring the creation of novel materials with dynamic properties.
Unveiling the Nano-Architecture
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and the Marine Biological Laboratory delved into the structure of squid skin. Their work exposed a previously hidden network of nano-columns composed of a unique protein called reflectin.
How Squid Skin Manipulates Light
These tiny columns function like miniature mirrors, reflecting or transmitting light based on their proximity. According to senior author, Alon Gorodetsky, an expert in chemical and biomolecular engineering at UC Irvine, this ability is remarkable. He stated, “We found that cells containing specialized subcellular columnar structures with sinusoidal refractive index distributions enable the squid to achieve such feats.”
“In nature, many animals use Bragg reflectors [which selectively transmit and reflect light at specific wavelengths] for structural coloration.”
—Alon Gorodetsky, Expert in chemical and biomolecular engineering at UC Irvine
Studying the longfin inshore squid, Doryteuthis pealeii, the team used holotomography to visualize the internal structures without disruption. Georgii Bogdanov, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Irvine, noted that this technique revealed the sinusoidal refractive index distributions within the iridophore cells.
Mimicking Nature’s Design
Inspired by the squid’s color-shifting abilities, the researchers are engineering flexible materials. They are using nanostructured metal films to enable the materials to also change in the infrared spectrum. As of 2024, the global market for smart textiles was valued at $4.2 billion, a figure projected to grow significantly due to innovations like these (Source 2024).
These bioinspired materials dynamically alter their appearance in visible and infrared wavelengths when stimulated, according to co-author Aleksandra Strzelecka. This opens the door to adaptive camouflage, responsive fabrics, and advanced sensors.
Future Optics from Squid Skin
The applications of this technology are vast, ranging from advanced camouflage to sophisticated display technologies. Gorodetsky believes that the team has “just started to scratch the surface of what is possible for cephalopod-inspired tunable optical materials.” The research demonstrates how decoding natural nanostructures could lead to manufacturing innovations.
The team is now aiming to enhance the responsiveness of their films and develop biodegradable versions. Ultimately, the project highlights why cephalopods remain a focus for material scientists—masters of light manipulation without needing any pigments or batteries. This mastery is now taking shape in labs, with the goal of creating fabrics for soldiers and buildings that adjust their properties.
