Light-Reflection Strategies
The content you've requested is available without charge only to active Sigma Xi members, affiliates and American Scientist subscribers.
If you are an active member, affiliate or individual subscriber, please log in now in order to access this article. Be sure you've entered your member or subscriber number on your profile page.
If you are not a member, affiliate or individual subscriber, you can:
Abstract:
Optical surfaces and coatings in nature are often finely tuned to the character and abundance of the solar electromagnetic radiation with which they interact. These natural structures often rival the ones people have designed to perform similar functions, such as the antireflective strategies employed in the design of the Stealth bomber. Various organisms may employ systems that prevent reflection of light, reflect certain wave lengths of light selectively or even emit light to match their surface to the background. There is a long tradition of research that compares human designs to the structures produced by the blind work of natural selection. This article continues that tradition by comparing the reflective properties of naturally occuring structures to more recent, human designs.