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What Bird Feathers and Beer Foam Have In Common

Posted by timothy on from the can-reach-great-altitude dept.

Rational Egoist writes "Researchers at Yale University have found that some of the brightest colors in bird feathers are created through structures similar in origin and composition to that of beer foam. Unlike with most colors in nature — which are produced by pigments — the bright blue colors of Bluebirds and Blue Jays are actually produced by sponge-like nanostructures. These structures are formed in quite the same way as beer foam. From the article: '[Researchers] compared the nanostructures to examples of materials undergoing phase separation, in which mixtures of different substances become unstable and separate from one another, such as the carbon-dioxide bubbles that form when the top is popped off a bubbly drink. They found that the color-producing structures in feathers appear to self-assemble in much the same manner. Bubbles of water form in a protein-rich soup inside the living cell and are replaced with air as the feather grows.'"

9 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. So when will... by Lulfas · · Score: 2, Funny

    I be able to get a pint of bird feathers flown to me? And still get me drunk?

    1. Re:So when will... by tjonnyc999 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm sure there's a team of scientists over at MIT or Stanford, working hard on the next-generation bird-based beer-delivery system. Have some faith in science, man!

    2. Re:So when will... by tjonnyc999 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hrm. "Nanobeer" - from the makers of "Brawndo"?

  2. Without RTFS by Renderer+of+Evil · · Score: 4, Funny

    What Bird Feathers and Beer Foam Have In Common

    Failed amazon.com experiments with new packing materials

    1. Re:Without RTFS by Lulfas · · Score: 2, Funny

      Beer foam would be a great packing material. I just bought an AA book the other day, would've helped :(

  3. It's got what cells crave. by spazdor · · Score: 2, Funny

    Electrolytes!

    --
    DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
  4. What else did they compare it to? by f5hacka · · Score: 5, Funny

    How the crap did they come up with comparing it to beer foam? What else was on the list of things to compare it to? Yale Guy: "THC...nope. Crystal Meth...nope. Hookers...nope. Beer Foam... WE GOT A MATCH BOYS"

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    Hi
  5. But birds are descended from dinosaurs by billstewart · · Score: 3, Funny

    so obviously dinosaurs are descended from beer yeasts.

    It's much more likely that you'll find a *(%^*& veliciraptor in your fermenter (unless of course the bluejay just flew in their by accident, or because it was trying to retrieve a dropped coconut or something.

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  6. This was already known by 1336 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Unlike with most colors in nature - which are produced by pigments - the bright blue colors of Bluebirds and Blue Jays are actually produced by sponge-like nanostructures. These structures are formed in quite the same way as beer foam."

    This has been known for some time; sufficient quantities of beer can lead to pink elephants. There's some documentary footage here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nwNPaYoTY8