Scientists Enable Humans to Perceive Unseen Color 'Olo' Using Lasers

Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington have successfully enabled five individuals to perceive a new color, dubbed 'olo,' by directly stimulating their eye cones with targeted laser pulses. This groundbreaking experiment involved using a system called Oz, which manipulates individual photoreceptor cells to bypass the natural limits of human color vision. Participants described 'olo' as a highly saturated blue-green hue never before seen by human eyes, with researchers noting that it cannot be accurately displayed on conventional screens. The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that directly controlling cone activation can expand the human visual experience beyond its normal gamut. Even the scientists involved were astonished by the intensity and novelty of the perceived color, underscoring the brain's remarkable ability to interpret new visual signals. This research opens up new possibilities for understanding vision and the potential for extending human sensory perception.