Studies have shown that some colours can have a powerful effect on performance. No one likes to see an exam paper covered in red ink, but one study found that seeing the colour red before taking an exam can actually hurt test performance. While the colour red is often described as arousing, exciting or threatening, many previous studies on the impact of the colour red have been mostly inconclusive. However, a study found that exposing students to the colour red before an exam has been shown to have a negative impact on test performance.

Blue is a colour of trust. It inspires security and safety. You can use the colour blue to promote products and services that are associated with cleanliness such as cleaning liquids, vodka, water purification filters, air conditioners and mineral water. As opposed to emotionally warm colors such as yellow, orange and red, blue is linked to intellect and consciousness. Make use of blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products.

Indicolite tourmaline

The gemstone you are looking at is known as Indicolite tourmaline. It gets its colour due to the presence of iron in it. It can vary in shades of colours from a light to a deep blue. Like most tourmalines, it is strongly pleochroic, meaning it shows different hues when looked at from different angles. Poorly cut gemstones can lead to loss of brilliance and transparency, particularly in darker specimens. It is a highly popular gemstone as it is believed to be a powerful third eye chakra crystal as well as a potent throat chakra stone that helps with communication abilities. Fascinating to know what a gemstone is capable of, isn’t it?

London blue topaz

Doesn’t the gemstone look stunning? This shining beauty is called the London blue topaz gemstone, which is a medium to dark grayish blue. It is also sometimes described as “inky” or "steely" owing to its colour. Many London blue topaz gemstones have a slightly greenish tone when viewed from certain angles. It is typically produced when exposed to radiation inside a nuclear reactor. What happens inside the reactor is that the topaz gets exposed to fast neutrons and the radiation changes the colour centers producing the deep blue colour. Material treated in this way is likely to be radioactive and may need many months of storage before the radioactivity decays to safe levels. There are very strict rules in place to protect not only consumers but also the cutters and gem dealers who handle these gems daily.

Anna’s hummingbird
Don’t we all love birdwatching and spotting exotic birds on trees? The bird that has caught our fancy this time is Anna’s hummingbird. Take a look at the picture of this bird. It is a medium-sized bird with mostly green and grey body. The male's head and throat are covered in iridescent reddish-pink feathers that work as a lovely colour combination. They can also appear a dull brown or grey in case of no direct sunlight. In an extremely thrilling courtship display, the males fly 130 feet into the air and then swoop towards the ground with an interesting burst of noise produced through their tail feathers.

Flower hat jellyfish
How about some ocean tour? Let us stop and appreciate the hypnotic beauty of this ocean creature. What you are looking at is called the flower hat jellyfish that floats serenely in the waters in the Earth’s ocean. It gets its name from its brilliant, multi coloured tentacles that trail from a translucent and pinstriped bell. In fact, this jellyfish species is extremely colourful and is a native to a small area in the Western Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Japan in Asia. The tentacles are also present around the rim of the bell so it can quickly coil and uncoil. Fascinating, don’t you think?