Rachel studies the evolution and genetic control of blue, iridescent structural colors in Junonia butterflies. Structural color is caused by constructive and destructive interference of light as it interacts with nanoscale, regularly-spaced physical structures in butterfly scales. This is in contrast to pigmentary color, caused by molecules that selectively absorb certain wavelengths. See more of Rachel’s research here: “Structural color in Junonia butterflies evolves by tuning lamina thickness”
doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/584532
