HOW DO CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOUR?
HOW DO CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOUR? Hi! I’m Vivaan Arora, and welcome to the third blog in my Curious Kid Collection ! Today, we’re exploring one of the coolest mysteries in nature: how do chameleons change their colour? It’s not magic—it’s all about science and skin cells. Beneath a chameleon’s outer skin is a layer of special cells called iridophores. These cells are packed with tiny crystals made of guanine (a substance also found in DNA). These crystals reflect light like a mirror. When a chameleon wants to change colour, it adjusts the spacing between the crystals: Close together = shorter wavelengths like blue and green Spread out = longer wavelengths like yellow, orange, and red By expanding or tightening their skin, chameleons control the reflection of light, changing their body colour like a living LED screen! WHY CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOUR AND WHY IT MATTERS Most people think chameleons change colour just to hide from predators—but that’s only partly true. The real reason is even ...
