Scientists Claim Discovery of New Colour

US researchers have used lasers and tracking tech to help five people see a colour never perceived before by humans. The colour, named “olo,” was created by stimulating individual retinal cells, pushing visual perception beyond natural limits, according to a study published in Science Advances.

The participants described “olo” as similar to blue-green, yet unlike anything seen before. Experts leading the experiment, including Ren Ng from UC Berkeley, were amazed by the intensity of the colour. However, they stress that olo can't be replicated on screens or in VR—it's beyond current technology.

Despite the excitement, not all scientists are convinced. John Barbur, a vision expert in London, argued that this isn’t truly a new colour but a highly saturated green perceived through specific eye mechanisms. Humans detect colour via three cone cells—L, M, and S—that sense different light wavelengths, and olo may just be a manipulation of that system.