Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

A Feathery First: These Penguins Turn Blue


Still Waters

Recommended Posts

If these penguins look blue to you, it's not because they are down in the dumps. They have a special protein structure in their feathers that generates the blue color by reflecting light in a way that has never been seen in feathers before.

Lead author Matthew Shawkey of the University of Akron was surprised to find the new structures, which "shatter current dogma," Shawkey told LiveScience."We found a previously undescribed way that birds make a non-iridescent blue color in feathers.

Shawkey found the structure in feathers of the blue penguin, a bird commonly found in Australia and New Zealand and also called the little, or fairy, penguin, awkwardly stands about a foot tall (30 cm) and weighs a little more than 2 pounds (about 1 kg). They have the traditional tuxedo look of penguins, though their feathers are a non-iridescent dark blue.

arrow3.gifRead more...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • Replies 13
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Mistydawn

    3

  • Still Waters

    2

  • Timothy

    2

  • Cloudshill

    1

Good idea.....blue penguins......:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good idea.....blue penguins......:)

They look cute. I think so too :)

I prefer mine covered in milk chocolate!!:yes:

P-p-p-pick up a penguin :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool blue penguins, and neat matrix thing on the feathers...a little dramatic, I think, the whole "shatters current dogma", but otherwise, cool find.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a colony of these penguins near where I used to live. The curious little fellas used to swim right up to us while we were surfing, within arms reach. Although seeing a flash of black out of the corner of my eye before I realised what it was was enough to send shivers down my spine... (but the seals, dolphins & southern right whales did a better job of this!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
 

A bad penguin-related joke, in celebration of these cute little fellas:

Q: Why don't polar bears eat penguins?

A: They can't get the wrappers off.

... I'll get me coat...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bad penguin-related joke, in celebration of these cute little fellas:

Q: Why don't polar bears eat penguins?

A: They can't get the wrappers off.

... I'll get me coat...

Oh, I don't know, it wasn't that bad....

Question: What do penguins have for lunch? Answer: Iceburgers

Question: Why don't you see penguins in Britain? Answer: Cause they are afraid of Wales.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.