Olo Color news
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The gist
UC Berkeley scientists discovered 'olo', a color seen only by stimulating M cone cells with lasers.
The color is outside the visible gamut, and researchers aim to help color blindness.
Background
Olo is an imaginary color that cannot be seen under normal conditions because no monochromatic light activates only M cones. Researchers at UC Berkeley mapped individual cone cells and used lasers to stimulate M cones specifically, allowing five subjects to see a highly saturated blue-green. The color is named after its LMS coordinates (0,1,0) in leet speak. The discovery has sparked interest from artists and media, and the team is exploring applications for color blindness and tetrachromacy.
How it unfolded
- Apr 18, 2025Scientists at UC Berkeley discovered olo, an imaginary color seen by stimulating M cone cells with lasers.
- Aug 12, 2026News outlets reported the discovery, noting only five subjects have seen olo.
- Aug 17, 2026Hacker News and TikTok discussions emerged, with some comparing olo to octarine from Discworld.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Professor Ren Ng described olo as 'more saturated than any color that you can see in the real world'.
- Skeptics
- Professor John Barbur questioned whether olo truly represents a 'new' color, saying its existence is 'open to argument'.
- Public
- Artists expressed interest in creating paints inspired by olo, and reporters requested to experience it.
Still unverified
The exact number of people who have seen olo is disputed: some sources say five, others say seven. The claim that olo could lead to tetrachromacy is speculative and not yet proven.