CaliforniaMama Thursday Aug 18 10:37 AMAugust 18, 2011 Glasswing Butterfly
Translucent wings: Other than jellies, does any other creature come this close to being invisible?
Attachment 33569
In order to achieve transparency the tissue must not absorb light. Neither can it scatter light, as this is the major obstacle to being see-through. Humans, for example, will never be able to be transparent because they have chemical and biological compounds that all have different refraction.
The wings of the glasswing must, therefore, have the same refractive index all the way through them as otherwise this transparency could not possibly occur. It is thought (a postulation at the moment rather than sure fire fact) that the surface of the wing has a covering of protrusions that are so small they can be called submicroscopic. They have a single refractive index and so do not scatter light, so making the wings transparent.
Image Credit Flickr User Sandy_R
via The Ark In Space
HungLikeJesus Thursday Aug 18 10:52 AMAnd it has a giant nose ring.
That's cool!
BigV Thursday Aug 18 11:10 AMNose ring? Actually, that looks like a tongue ring. Or at least a ring of tongue.
Coign Thursday Aug 18 11:23 AMNah, it is the new hotness, a head ring.
Coign Thursday Aug 18 11:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama
Other than jellies, does any other creature come this close to being invisible?
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P.S. Challenge Accepted.
http://www.oddee.com/item_96585.aspx
Trilby Thursday Aug 18 01:32 PMMother Nature is Awesome!
thanks for these finds, calimama!
lupin..the..3rd Thursday Aug 18 06:23 PMI'm thinking a tangy ginger sauce would be nice with this one.
jimhelm Thursday Aug 18 07:36 PM
Quote:
Humans, for example, will never be able to be transparent
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pah.
CaliforniaMama Thursday Aug 18 08:13 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coign
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Great find!
It is interesting that except for the frog and butterfly, all the other transparent creatures are sea creatures. I guess no land/air creatures have found invisibility to be an advantage the way deep sea creatures do.
Aliantha Thursday Aug 18 08:14 PMThat is a beautiful image cali. Thanks.
Griff Friday Aug 19 06:18 PMWow nice image!
Your reply here?
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