colours

The world is full of colours!

But, listener Maya Crocombe wonders ‘how do we see colour and why are some people colour blind?’

This programme is available NOW on Demand on the BBC Discovery Page and is available until Tuesday the 14th of June. It will also be broadcast on Sunday the 12th of June in Phuket at 8:30 AM on 91.5 FM and 102.5 FM and Online via the Internet radio portals.

Dr Rutherford and professor Fry set out to understand how special light-sensitive cells in our eyes start the process of colour perception, why people sometimes have very different experiences of colour and whether, in the end, colour is really just ‘in our heads’.

Dr Gabriele Jordan from Newcastle University explains why lots of men struggle to discriminate between certain colours and why there were lots of complaints from colour-blind viewers when Wales played Ireland at rugby.

Professor Anya Hurlbert, also from Newcastle University, tackles the most divisive of internet images: The Dress! Did you see it as blue-black or yellow-gold?

Anya explains why people see it so differently, and why our ability to compensate for available light is so useful.

To see the Dunstanborough Castle illusion as described in the episode, check out the Gallery on this page and also on the Discovery homepage.

More Colours from the BBC this weekend

Sunday in Phuket Health Check
Sunday 8:00 AM
BBC Science in Action Sunday in Phuket
Sunday at 9:00 AM
BBC Digital Planet
Sunday at 9:30 AM