Does not exist? Understand why pink is the color that defies science

The color pink It is a shade that enchants and captivates many people. It is present in fashion items, decoration pieces and even popular toys such as the Barbie doll, whose live-action version was recently released.

This color has a special place in people’s hearts and in culture, and can be seen in vibrant and cheerful variations, or in softer and more subtle tones, suitable for moments of calm and tranquility.

However, as surprising as it may seem, there is a scientific curiosity surrounding this much-loved color: it, in fact, does not exist from a scientific point of view.

If the pink tone doesn’t exist, how can we see it?

To understand, we need to briefly delve into the world of optics. White light, like that from the sun, is made up of several colors. When this light passes through a prism, for example, it disperses into a range of colors ranging from red to violet.

This is the visible spectrum, and is also what people see in a rainbow.

However, the color pink or magenta, as it is also called, is not present in this spectrum. Instead, pink is an extraspectral color, that is, it is linked to the way our brain interprets the combination of red, blue or violet light simultaneously, without the presence of green light.

When the eyes detect lights at the same time, without the presence of green light, the brain creates the so-called pink color. It’s as if the brain was bringing the color spectrum full circle, connecting the red and violet ends to create the perception of pink.

Photo: Freepik/Lookstudio/Reproduction

In summary, although pink may not have a specific place in the visible spectrum of light, it occupies a very real and significant space in our perception and in people’s hearts. This is a beautiful demonstration of how biology and physics come together to create a rich tapestry of colors that we experience in our everyday lives.