logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
5m 19s

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 blue? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find a CYAN-tific answer!

Up next
Jun 11
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 mean ... Show More
2m 56s
Jun 6
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 tou ... Show More
6m 19s
Jun 4
How do stoplights know when to change?
Waiting for a stoplight to turn green can be really annoying, especially when you’re running late. It would be awesome if you had a magic wand you could wave to get the light to change. But alas, such things don’t exist. But how do stoplights know when to switch colors? We asked ... Show More
5m 24s
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
24m 10s
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
36m 40s
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
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
Mar 2022
Italian Grammar #15 - "I colori", the colors as adjectives!
Ciao!In this episode we'll look at the colors in Italian, and how to say light and dark for a color!:)..I colori:bluviolaazzurroverdegialloarancionerosarossomarronebiancogrigionero Three of the colors are always the same: "blu","rosa", "viola".Modify with chiaro (light) and s ... Show More
9m 15s
Feb 2021
ELI5 Colorblindness - can special glasses really fix it?
Why are men so much more likely to be colorblind? How do colourblind people know they’re colourblind? How are colourblind people able to recognize the colors when they put on those special glasses, when they have never seen those colors before? Do 3D glasses still work if you are ... Show More
7m 2s
Oct 2010
Episode 11: Colors
Let’s learn the names of some colours: Red - rojo, Yellow - amarillo, Black - negro, White - blanco, Green - verde, Blue - azul, Grey - gris, Brown - marrón 
57s
Apr 2024
Pourquoi le bleu est-il si rare dans la nature ?
Certaines couleurs sont moins représentées que d'autres à la surface de la Terre. C'est notamment le cas du bleu. En effet, cette teinte est très rare. Ainsi, sur les 300.000 espèces recensées de plantes à fleurs, seulement 10 % se parent de cette couleur bleue. Si l'on trouve au ... Show More
1m 53s
Aug 2017
Why Are There So Many Different Languages?
In this episode, we're answering some of our frequently asked questions, the questions we hear a lot from all of you: why are there so many different languages? Why do we get hiccups? Why do our fingers get wrinkly in the tub? Why are plants so many colors? Why do leaves change c ... Show More
26m 50s