In an astonishing twist of creativity and science, British artist Stuart Semple claims to have replicated a revolutionary hue recently discovered by scientists! This striking blue-green shade, birthed from innovative laser experiments, is now available for art enthusiasts.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a fascinating experiment using lasers to stimulate retinal cells, pushing the boundaries of color perception. Semple, taking inspiration from this study published in *Science Advances*, has synthesized his own version for a staggering £10,000 per 150ml jar. However, artists can grab it for just £29.99!

Semple isn't new to the art of color manipulation. Known for creating the world's blackest and pinkest paints, he took a more traditional approach this time. By mixing various pigments and adding fluorescent optical brighteners, he captures ultraviolet light and transforms it into visible blue light, thus creating a vibrant, eye-catching paint.

Semple passionately declares, “I’ve always believed that color should be accessible to everyone.” His mission? To liberate colors that are often monopolized by corporations or the scientific community. Notably, he dubbed his version of the groundbreaking color ‘yolo,’ a playful contrast to its scientific name ‘olo,’ which reflects its unique stimulation of medium-wavelength cones in our eyes.

His cheeky spirit doesn’t stop there! When artist Anish Kapoor secured exclusive rights to the world’s blackest paint, Semple retaliated by crafting an even darker version and barring Kapoor from its use.

Exploring the intricacies of human color perception, Semple explains that our eyes perceive colors through three cone types sensitive to different wavelengths. The Berkeley experiment was groundbreaking, producing a color that exists beyond the natural spectrum of human vision.

Austin Roorda, a vision scientist from the Berkeley team, was intrigued by Semple’s creation, humorously stating he wouldn’t pay £10,000 for it, but he might consider commissioning an artist cousin to give it a whirl! Roorda acknowledges the challenge of replicating ‘olo,’ saying, “Even the best paints can’t match its brilliance.”

In his pursuit of the ultimate color, Roorda even tried mixing two vibrant liqueurs, Midori and Blue Curaçao, though he admits, “It’s a bit foul! But oddly, the more I drink, the more it looks like olo.”

In a world where artists battle for color supremacy, Semple stands out not just for his playful antics but for making art and innovation collide in ways we've never seen before. Who knew paint could be so thrilling?