logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
6m 4s

Why are the primary colors different fro...

American Public Media
About this episode
You may have learned that the colors red, yellow, and blue are called primary colors. It’s sometimes said you can use those three to make all the other colors. But can red, yellow, and blue really mix to make any color, or is there more to the story?  We asked color scientist Stephen Westland to help us find the answer. Got a question that came up out of the ... Show More
Up next
Oct 2025
We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters
We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop u ... Show More
8m 15s
Jun 2025
A big update about Moment of Um and the Brains On Universe
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit. In the mea ... Show More
3m 41s
Jun 2025
How do braces work?
They come in cool colors, catch popcorn kernels and sometimes even have spacers - it’s braces! Ever wondered how braces magically straighten teeth? We asked Dr. ArNelle Wright - a real life dentist! - to help us break down the science of these tiny metal wonders. Bracing for a to ... Show More
7m 4s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
Why Do Colors Exist?
Why do colors exist in the world? That’s what Phoebe wants to know. The answer might change how you think about the colors that you see! Neuroscientist and artist Bevil Conway bends our minds and our eyes, to show us how colors are the ultimate optical illusion. We’ll discover wh ... Show More
23m 10s
Jun 2022
The colour conundrum
The world is full of colour! But, listener Maya Crocombe wonders ‘how do we see colour and why are some people colour blind?’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 some ... Show More
27m 48s
Jun 2020
Why does green mean go? And other color conundrums
The world is full of color, but how do our eyes see it? In this episode we’ll explain how color vision works, complete with a journey to a jazz club in the back of your eye. We’ll also look at the cultural meanings of the color red, we’ll find out about a new type of blue, and we ... Show More
38m 25s
May 2015
How Color Works
<p>Science doesn't have a good explanation for why we sense color, yet it is everywhere and affecting us all the time. But why should minutely different wavelengths of light have such an impact on our moods and motivations?</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href= ... Show More
41m 20s
Mar 2022
The Colour Conundrum
The world is full of colour! But, wonders listener Maya Crocombe, ‘how do we see colour and why are some people colour blind?’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 som ... Show More
35m 56s
Mar 2024
Do we all see the same colour?
CrowdScience listener Gregory wants to know what affects the way we see the colours of the world. He was looking at a blue summer sky with a friend and they got to wondering whether they both see the same colour blue. So what does influence our vision of the colours that surround ... Show More
29m 10s
May 2023
Selects: How Color Works
Science doesn't have a good explanation for why we sense color, yet it is everywhere and affecting us all the time. But why should minutely different wavelengths of light have such an impact on our moods and motivations? Explore these questions and more with Josh and Chuck in thi ... Show More
41m 39s
Jun 2022
Why Ancient People Didn't See the Color Blue
Here's a philosophical question for you. If a color doesn't have a name, can we still see it? Many years ago, the human eye evolved to give us the ability to see about a million colors. That's a lot. Then how come, until very recently, nobody saw or even heard of the color blue? ... Show More
14m 17s
Aug 2023
How do our eyes, skin and hair get their colors?
All the different colors in our eyes, hair and skin are made by a super special substance called melanin! In this episode, we’ll meet a melanocyte, the artistic cell that makes melanin. Plus, Molly and cohost Jeremy talk with Dr. Tina Lasisi to learn why humans have so many diffe ... Show More
32m 55s