A protean palette: colour materials and mixing in birds and butterflies

While typically classified as either ‘structural’ or ‘pigmentary’, bio-optical tissues of terrestrial animals are rarely homogeneous and typically contain both a structural material such as keratin or chitin and one or more pigments. These base materials interact physically and chemically to create colours. Combinations of structured base materials and embedded pigment molecules often interact optically to produce unique colours and optical properties. Therefore, to understand the mechanics and evolution of bio-optical tissues it is critical to understand their material properties, both in isolation and in combination. Here, we review the optics and evolution of coloured tissues with a focus on their base materials, using birds and butterflies as exemplar taxa owing to the strength of our current knowledge of colour production in these animals. We first review what is known of their base materials, and then discuss the consequences of these interactions from an optical perspective. Finally, we suggest directions for future research on colour optics and evolution that will be invaluable as we move towards a fuller understanding of colour in the natural world

Request for Community partnership in data resource licensing planning

<p>We write an open letter to the NIH Data Research Council to initiate a dialog regarding NIH decisions on data use agreements and licenses. We are members of NIH-funded research groups that collect and/or integrate biomedical data from diverse sources for the purpose of advancing diagnosis, prognosis, treatment selection, and mechanistic discovery. </p><p><br></p><p>We welcome additional signatories here:</p><p>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fbwKxnPu5f1YXlMM6UMyfBqHx_Inz86tKzwRFO4W8jQ<br></p><br><p>Summary:</p><br><ul><li><p>The current diversity of data use agreements and licenses significantly hampers the ability to reuse and redistribute data in various informatics contexts.</p></li><li><p>We believe that any mandatory data licensing policy must also include a plan for ensuring access, sustainability, and data quality. </p></li><li><p>We request community partnership with NIH to develop common licensing and data reuse plans. </p></li></ul