Researchers are now investigating possible applications the natural nanoscale photonic system that cuttlefishes use for camouflage in military operations. Cuttlefishes are known for changing the colors and patterns of their skin to hide themselves in their natural environment.

Due to the camouflaging technique that cuttlefishes use to hunt for food and hide from predators, they are also commonly referred to as the "chameleons of the sea." If harnessed correctly, this ability can also be used to allow soldiers in the battlefield to blend into their environment, providing a valuable tactical advantage that can save lives. A paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface explores the inner workings of a cuttlefishes biomolecular nanophotonic system that allows it to change its color. A team of researchers from the Harvard-MBL published the paper, hoping to apply the mechanism in the manufacturing of special textiles for military use.

"Nature solved the riddle of adaptive camouflage a long time ago," says Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Tarr Family Professor Kevin Kit Parker. "Now, the challenge is to reverse-engineer this system in a cost-efficient synthetic system that is amenable to mass manufacturing."

Cuttlefishes are members of a species called Sepia officinalis. This animal is also closely related to other cephalopods such as octopuses and squids, which are also known to posses some degree of adaptive camouflage. These animals use special organs known as chromatophores that can change both the coloration and patterns of their skin, depending on the surrounding environment. While the mechanism has been known for years, scientists understood little about the finer details of how the system works.

These chromatophores contain pigment granules that serve as nanoscale photonic elements. Moreover, these small organs can also change size and are capable of expanding by as much as 500 percent. The expansion of the chromatophores as well as the presence of the pigment granules are responsible for the adaptive camouflage of cuttlefish.

While the team is currently investigating the military applications for this biological process, the researchers are also hoping that the technology can be applied to a variety of civilian products such as electronics, cosmetics and paint. If the technology proves feasible, we may very well see walls painted with an adaptive substance that can change its appearance. Moreover, both hunters and researchers working with animals in the wild will also be able to use these types of materials in their line of work.