Imagine a world without the colours we see today. Billions of years ago, Earth was a place of muted tones. Now, it is filled with brilliant feathers, dazzling flowers and bright creatures. But how did this transformation happen? Scientists are piecing together clues about how life evolved colour.
Life’s journey towards colour started with the ability to see. Over 600 million years ago, early organisms detected light and dark. This helped them sense their surroundings and react to danger.
Around 500-550 million years ago, animals developed trichromatic vision. This allowed them to see red, green and blue. It coincided with the Cambrian explosion, a time of rapid evolution. The first animals with this ability were arthropods, including insects and crustaceans.
Vertebrates developed trichromatic vision 420-500 million years ago. This helped them spot prey, predators and mates. Trilobites, extinct marine arthropods, had compound eyes. Their multiple lenses helped them see in dim waters, giving them an advantage. Before creatures became colourful, they could already see colour.
The Rise of Colour: From Plants to Animals
Plants were the first to introduce bright colours. Early plants developed colourful fruits and flowers to attract animals. Fruits evolved 300-377 million years ago, co-existing with seed-dispersing creatures. Flowers emerged 140-250 million years ago, creating a turning point in Earth’s colours.
During the Cretaceous period, over 100 million years ago, flowering plants spread. Their bright petals attracted pollinators like bees and butterflies. This explosion of colour changed ecosystems forever.
Animals remained dull until 140 million years ago. Early creatures were mostly brown and grey. But as evolution progressed, vibrant colours appeared. These colours signalled dominance, attracted mates or scared predators.
Dinosaurs provide key evidence of early animal colouration. Fossilised melanosomes in Anchiornis suggest red feathers for display. Some snake fossils reveal green and black scales from 10 million years ago.
Not all animals used colour for attraction. Some, like poison frogs, evolved bright hues to warn predators. Their colours signalled toxicity, a survival mechanism called aposematism. Others remained camouflaged, avoiding attention instead.
The Future of Earth’s Colours
Earth’s colours continue to change. Climate change, pollution and habitat loss are affecting evolution. Some fish are losing their bright colours in polluted waters. Toxins are disrupting pigmentation and communication, affecting survival.
For over half a billion years, life has added colour to Earth. From ancient seas to today’s rainforests, the transformation continues. What new colours will nature create in the future?
(Inputs from The Conversation)
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