Octopus camouflage inspires new insights for sunscreen development

Cephalopods like octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish have the mesmerizing ability to change the color of their skin to camouflage into the surrounding environment. Multiple biological processes involving a natural pigment called xanthommatin drives this unique ability. As such, various industries are interested in using xanthommatin in products such as paint and natural sunscreen, but the pigment has been hard to research. Harvesting xanthommatin from animals isn’t very efficient, and traditional lab methods are laborious and low-yielding.