Blue

Blue is a colour lying between green and indigo on the visible spectrum. It is defined as the perception of light of wavelength between approximately 440 and 470 nanometres. Blue is also a primary colour, along with red and green, however, it is by far superior to these in terms of its influence on our everyday lives. So what is it about this colour that makes it so special?

We live on a planet commonly known as the “blue planet”. The earth appears blue due to the effects of absorption spectra, in which light from the sun is absorbed and re-emitted by gases in the atmosphere. Light waves with higher frequencies, such as blue, are emitted more often and are dominant over the other colours. This effect is called Rayleigh scattering, named after the English physicist John Rayleigh who was the first to describe this phenomenon. The seas and oceans, which constitute seventy-four percent of the Earth’s surface, also appear blue due to a combination of Rayleigh scattering and reflection of the atmosphere. Considering these facts, it’s only logical that the majority of what we see around us is blue.

The first life forms on this blue planet were, believe it or not, blue-green algae; single-celled organisms which started appearing around two and a half billion years ago and which used sunlight and water to make food. Plants are the basis of all life on Earth due to the fact that they can create their own food. Any food chain will always lead down to a plant, meaning that life as we know it would be impossible without plants to provide food. It is commonly misunderstood that plants require green light for photosynthesis, or food generation, to occur. However, green light is simply reflected off the chlorophyll in the plant causing it to appear green. The chlorophyll pigments actually absorb blue and red light so, it could safely be stated that blue, along with red, is one of the main reasons we are here today. We live in a blue world dependent on blue, so it’s no wonder really that this colour has such a major impact on everything we think and do. Blue affects our thoughts, expressions and methods of communication. It has integrated itself into every aspect of modern society. From medicine to music and from politics to religion, blue reigns supreme.

In Greek mythology, blue was associated with the god Zeus and was further related to rain as a consequence of Zeus’ crying. This appears to be the first documented association of blue with misery or sadness. Nowadays, experts agree that the colour blue has a soothing effect on people and that this effect is so powerful that it can also lead to depression if taken in excess. This belief is also adopted by some religions which suggest staring at blue objects in order to clear the mind and aid in meditation. It has also been recommended as a good colour to paint bedroom walls as it has been proved to create a feeling of tranquility, allowing sleep to be more peaceful. Also, since it is the colour of the sea and sky, blue has often represented divinity.