They have a reflective silver metallic appearance which is achieved through thin film interference within layers of chitin. These layers of the chitin coating are chirped (in layers of differing thicknesses), forming a complex multilayer as each layer decreases in depth; as the thickness changes, so too does the optical path-length. Each chirped layer is tuned to a different wavelength of light. The multilayer found on C. limbata reflects close to 97% of light across the visible wavelength range.
Nature is insane
Like, how does nature know to manipulate quantum states and electromagnetism to achieve this result. Trial and error / random mutation /survival etc just doesn’t explain why it happens.
That’s a staggering amount of non trivial science/math stacked layer by layer. On a beetle.
For those giving me replies:
I’m asking more of a philosophical question.
Why are these things there in the first place.
I’m not asking his evolution works. I know how evolution works. I state that in my comment. Random mutations, survival, etc. Etc etc. Is how.
Why.
To say it is because it is isn’t answering my question.
How and why does/could a random mutation play on the laws of physics in a meticulously optimized way to benefit itself. What is the method that would cause something to randomly say, today I think I’m going to make cells that act in such a way as to make me appear reflective, or transparent, or mimic the environment.
The result is because of evolution. OK. Good.
How do these processes which use quantum mechanics and wild optical physics become an innate part of nature to begin with.
There doesn’t need to be any knowledge involved. It happens, because it works. Neither the beetle nor evolution itself “know” anything about quantum physics. The beetle is just a beetle and evolution is not even an entity that has any agency, it’s just a process that’s happening and that leads to remarkable results over time.
This is just one more example for the old discussion how complexity can develop through evolution. The classic example is the eye of vertebrates. Read up on that, if you’re interested in that discussion.
