Platypus Fur Reveals Bird-like Hollow Melanosomes Yet Stays Matte
Scientists discovered hollow melanosomes in platypus fur—structures typically associated with color in birds—yet the fur remains dull because the hollow particles are scattered randomly, not organized to channel light. The hollow structures may aid insulation and buoyancy for a semi-aquatic lifestyle, and their presence raises questions about convergent evolution and how these pigment compartments form, with potential implications for human disease research where hollow melanosomes appear in melanoma.
