A thought experiment can help visualize the challenge of achieving distinctive color patterns. Imagine gently adding a drop of blue and red dye to a cup of water. The drops will slowly disperse ...

This article was originally featured on The Conversation. Patterns on animal skin, such as zebra stripes and poison frog color patches, serve various biological functions, including temperature ...

Nature follows mathematical rules and creates repeating patterns across completely different organisms and environments.

Many animals get their external marking—like, feathers, hair or scales-from genetics. But it turns out, the crocodile gets its head patterns differently. Scientists normally explain the spectacular ...

Animals come in all shapes and sizes, but also pretty much all patterns. Those patterns might function as camouflage, aid in ...

Ankur Gupta receives funding from NSF (CBET - 2238412) and ACS Petroleum Research Fund (65836 - DNI9). A thought experiment can help visualize the challenge of achieving distinctive color patterns.

Scientists normally explain the spectacular diversity of animal patterns by pointing to genetics. But a study in Nature suggests that, at least for crocodile heads, different forces might be at play.