Is There a Real Magenta in the Electromagnetic Spectrum?
We experience the world through our senses: taste, touch, sound, smell, and sight. But what if I tell you that your brain is tricking you? Would you believe me? Maybe?
When we look at colors we think that what we see is the truth. Take for instance the color blue. Blue exists in the electromagnetic spectrum, part of the visible spectrum, at around a wavelength from 450–485 nanometers (nm). The color red is on the other side of the visible spectrum at around 625–700 nm. The two colors never mix in nature because they are not next to each other. However, when we mix blue and red together we get magenta. How can we see the color magenta if blue and red never mix in nature? Blame the brain.
The human brain loves to solve problems. And one problem is what color do you get when you mix blue and red together? Magenta of course. The brain mixes blue and red even though those two colors never mix in nature. The color magenta does not exist in nature. It’s strange that this happens but the brain is full of mysteries that get unraveled every day.