This segment originally aired in December 2023. It aired again in March 2025. Every other Friday on Morning Edition, the Outside/In team answers a question from a listener about the natural world.

True blue is one of nature's rarest tricks, and the animals that pull it off range from tiny ocean drifters that steal venom ...

The FDA has approved an aqueous extract of the blue petals of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) – a plant native to Southeast Asia – as a color additive exempt from certification following a ...

Butterfly wings get their color in ways that almost feel impossible. Up close, each wing is made of countless tiny scales that either hold pigment or manipulate light. The oranges, reds, and browns ...