UC Berkeley Researchers Discover 'Olo', a Color Only Five People Have Ever Seen
Olo (Color)
Scientists at UC Berkeley have discovered a new color called 'olo' that can only be seen by directly stimulating individual M cone cells in the retina with lasers. This color, described as a blue-green of unprecedented saturation, is beyond the visible gamut and was seen by only five subjects. The researchers are exploring applications for color blindness and potential tetrachromacy, though some experts question if it truly is a new color.
Olo is 'more saturated than any color that you can see in the real world'.
- GolfPopper
It is possible to see something close (how close I don't know) by saturating the S & M cones instead of avoiding them. Wikipedia refers to these as 'chimerical colors':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impossible_color#Chimerical_co...
- antics
If you are interested in "imaginary" colors, the gamut is actually well-specified, and (I hope it is appropriate to comment) that I made a visualization where you can drag a selection thumb over the gamut to see the "simulated" version of that color. Also include it is a 12-step contrast-sensitive color palette generator for said imaginary colors, which would allow you to make websites and (say) vscode themes using entirely imaginary colors! https://docs.moment.dev/d/hausdorff/2zmqjlmldchela29xvbzlbki...
- limbicsystem
A feature that no one is talking about but which is even cooler: You can use the same technology to a) directly simulate color blindness (drive the L and M cones with the same signal) and b) in theory drive subsets of a dichromat's L cones with derived L- and M- cone amplitudes - does that make them sort of trichromatic? Such an amazing technology! The whole AO story ultimately links back to the Starfire Optical Range : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfire_Optical_Range
- drayfield
Is it too late to rename it to Octarine?
- hdz
The closest approximation to Olo colored paint you can buy is also by the company that makes some of the blackest black paint. I haven't used it personally.
https://culturehustle.com/collections/paint/products/yolo-ne...
- tclancy
Really enjoyed this article about it https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/08/03/what-would-it-...
- jeremyjh
Reminds me a bit of a Greg Egan story from Instantiation called Seventh Sight. Kids with artificial eyes hack them to see colors and spectrum not perceptible by humans.
- timonoko