X-rays Reveal the Photonic Crystals in Butterfly (IMAGE)

DOE/Argonne National Laboratory

X-rays Reveal the Photonic Crystals in Butterfly

Caption

When you look very close up at a butterfly wing, you can see this patchwork map of lattices with slightly different orientations (colors added to illustrate the domains). Scientists think this structure helps create the brilliant "sparkle" of the wings.

Credit

Image courtesy Ian McNulty/Science

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