In animals such as on the feathers of birds and the scales of butterflies, interference is created by a range of photonic mechanisms, including diffraction gratings, selective mirrors, photonic crystals, crystal fibres, matrices of nanochannels and proteins that can vary their configuration.
Perhaps 30 years ago we might have sidelined him, so as not to ruffle the feathers of our masters.
Kiefer has also contrived to display another palm as if it were the feathers of some avian or even angelic wing; a doubly miraculous apparition which, as outsize quill, writes its own revelatory gospel behind the veiling glass.
Perry's record as governor is likely to ruffle the feathers of at least a few Republican base voters as well.
These vanes later evolved into the structures known as barbs, which occur in the feathers of living birds.
Such was Tremlett's success that he has usurped Stuart Broad as James Anderson's new ball partner and is being looked on as the man to ruffle the feathers of Sachin Tendulkar and co by preying on their supposed weakness against the short ball.
The star garment of the Persian king symbolized his world rulership, as did the feather mantle of the kings of Hawaii.
An upcoming exhibit at the behemoth gallery known as Gagosian has managed to wrinkle the feathers of art admirers once again.
Oil spills are also a threat to seabird species, as both a toxin and because the feathers of the birds become saturated by the oil, causing them to lose their waterproofing.
As the feather represents the niche of an Ischnocera louse, perhaps the diversity of Ischnocera lice will change with the diversity of feather types on a host, although this host trait is unlikely to vary sufficiently within bird families to detect significant relationships at a species level.
