CRISPR-Induced Mutations Give Wing to a Butterfly Effect

The breathtaking colors and patterns on butterfly wings come down to genes, which have been thought to be of two kinds—genes for pigments and genes for wing scales. Whereas pigments are chemicals that give rise to colors by absorbing and reflecting different wavelengths of light, wing scales are physical structures that reflect and refract light, adding color through wave interference. Despite these mechanistic differences, and contrary to expectations, pigment colors and structural colors