New colours found

A laboratory in Finland claims to have discovered what it calls a spectral subset of colours. “In terms of light spectra, this is a bit like splitting the atom” said Arvid Kekkonen, who conducted the experiments which led to the discovery. “Essentially we have taken the standard observable wavelengths and broken them down into the underlying component electromagnetic sub-strands. You could call these the subatomic particles of light frequencies. It is a product of how light can sometimes behave like a wave, sometimes like a particle.” The research was being done to see how the next generation of television and computer screens might be developed. “Unfortunately, this is not much help for that purpose,” said Dr Kekkonen, “because these are not colours that we are used to seeing. So, instead of increasing the realism of the picture, it would distort it. Also these sub-strands are not strong enough to excite the receptors in the eye and can only be seen through a focal augmentation device; which is quite big. Still, these colours – which obviously being incomparable, I cannot describe – are truly amazing.”