We all know that the colour purple has been associated with royalty for a long time now. Today, we bring you some interesting psychological associations attached to purple. In Christianity, purple is symbolic of pride and in the U. S. military, a Purple Heart award is symbolic of courage shown. In a stark contrast to the west, purple is worn by widows to mourn their husband’s death in Thailand. In Iran, it’s traditionally believed that a purple looking sun or moon was an omen indicating the possibility of bloodshed that year.

While some colours soothe your senses, some can give you headaches. A University of Washington in Louisville has found that redheads are more prone to pain and therefore need more anaesthesia when they undergo surgeries. Redheads have a "defective receptor" for melanin, a pigment responsible for tanning. This same melanocortin-1 receptor cross-reacts with a related receptor on brain cells that increases pain sensitivity.

Gemstones and their astrological significances are well known in India. So, this time around we decided to bring you the folklore associated with these gemstones. We picked out the moonstone which is a very popular stone in India and also around the world. Here, it is believed that the moonstone is worn to befriend the moon and is used to open up the heart. While in other cultures, it is believed that it is formed from the rays of the moon and you can see the future in a moonstone during a waning moon. And, our favourite one which says that this stone has the power to make lovers faithful to each other!

If you thought gemstones were only about beauty and astrological importance, then maybe you should read this! We love pearls and we are sure you do too but did you know that pearls are said to bring bad luck when used in an engagement or wedding ring. They say that a pearl should be never be gifted to anyone because it symbolizes a tear and can bring sadness to the person receiving it. It is also believed in some parts of the world that brides should not wear pearls on their wedding day because this might bring unhappiness and tears to the marriage!

Nudibranchs are the shell-less relatives of the snail known for their vivid colours. They have the distinction of being the most colourful creatures in the world! However, Nudibranchs smell, taste, and feel their world using head-mounted sensory appendages called rhinophores. They track food with the help of chemical signals. They have both male and female organs and can fertilize one another, an ability that speeds the search for mates and doubles reproductive success.

According to folklore, the bright-red waters of Laguna Colorada in southern Bolivia are attributed to the Gods’ spilled blood. But the real, scientific reason for its brilliant colours is algae. The lake is clear blood red covered with gleaming salt and looks like a painting! There is an interesting tale attached to these colours. It is believed that centuries ago, the Gods lived here; they were so tall that they reached the sky. A beautiful Goddess named Tunupa became pregnant. However, her baby was stillborn, and as she mourned her loss, her tears mixed with the breast milk that her baby would never drink and together they formed a white lake. Tunupa, paralyzed by grief, became a mountain overlooking the salty expanse.