Red is a bold primary color that can convey energy, passion, and strength. While it’s a color we frequently see in the world around us and associate with specific meanings, there are other more curious things about red that most people are entirely unaware of.
Here are some of the most interesting facts about the color red that will blow your mind.
1. Red Is the First Color Babies See (After Black and White)
When babies are born, they have poor eyesight and can only see black, white, and shades of gray. Red is the first non-neutral color they begin to perceive, which occurs a few weeks after birth. Red has the longest wavelengths, making it easy for their sensitive eyes to recognize.
As a baby’s eyes develop, they can perceive more colors, such as green, at about three to four months old. Then, when they’re around five months old, they can see most colors, but their color vision isn’t as vibrant as an adult’s.
2. Red Lipstick Has Been Around for 5,000 Years
Red lipstick is a popular beauty item today, but it’s far from new, proving that it’s a timeless makeup product. It dates all the way back to 3500 BC in southern Mesopotamia, where they would grind up red rocks to create a powder that could make someone’s lips look bright red. Ancient Egypt also had its own form of red lipstick, which involved crushing insects to create a red paste.
Depending on the location and time period, red lipstick had different meanings. In some cases, it was a sign of wealth, power, and social status. In other contexts, it showed off confidence and flirtation.
Despite its long history, red lipstick didn’t peak in popularity until the women’s rights movement. Leaders of the movement, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, regularly wore red lipstick to intimidate men, so followers soon joined in on the trend. Wearing red lipstick is still seen as a way to empower women and boost their confidence.
3. Red Light Doesn’t Affect Your Night Vision Like Other Colors
While shining a bright light might seem like the solution to seeing in the dark, it may harm your night vision. When it’s dark around us, our pupils dilate, but they quickly constrict when exposed to bright-colored lights. Thus, when you turn off that light, it will be hard for your eyes to see in the dark as they re-adjust. However, red lights are an exception.
Red lights have long wavelengths and aren’t as bright as white lights, making them beneficial for looking around at night without bothering your eyes. Red light minimizes pupil constriction, allowing for better night vision. It’s great for a headlamp on a dark trail or a reading light in your bedroom. Plus, red lights are less likely to disturb wildlife if you’re using them outside.
4. People Notice Red Before Other Colors
Red is a color typically associated with danger, so it’s frequently used to get someone’s attention, such as in stop signs and fire trucks. Not only is red a bright color that’s easy to spot, but red light has the longest wavelengths, allowing it to travel the furthest through inclement weather. That’s why emergency lights often flash red. Plus, since there’s lots of green outside among nature, red stop signs and other warnings stand out on the green background because they’re complementary colors.
This color doesn’t just stand out in emergencies. In many situations, red is the first color people notice in a room. So, it’s a great color to wear if you want to stand out, and it’s perfect to use as the focal point of your designs.
5. The Color Red Could Lead to Worse Test Scores
Studies show that exposure to the color red before or during a test could harm test scores. Red is a high-energy color that could cause stress, making it harder for people to focus on the test in front of them. Also, red is commonly associated with danger or commanding us to stop, which aren’t things we want to think about while focusing on a test.
While seeing red won’t guarantee that someone will fail their test, it can affect performance to some degree.
6. Red Is the Rarest and Most Expensive Color for Diamonds
Natural diamonds are very rare, but natural diamonds with colorful hues are even harder to find. Only 0.04% of diamonds graded in the past twenty years appeared in special colors, and of that tiny percentage, the rarest color was red. It’s believed that there are less than thirty natural red diamonds in the world. Their rarity also causes them to only appear in small sizes.
When most people think of diamonds, they see them as colorless. Yet, exposure to certain elements can add unique colors to the diamonds, which is how special hues like green and blue occur naturally. Red is a unique exception. Researchers believe that diamonds exposed to extreme heat and pressure cause the atom structure to shift, resulting in a diamond that looks red. Since red diamonds are so rare, it’s difficult for scientists to fully research this process.
7. Red Is the Rarest Natural Hair Color
Natural red hair is considered the rarest hair color in the world. Only about 1% to 2% of the world’s population has red hair. Some areas have few to no people with red hair, and it’s common in other places, such as Ireland and Scotland. While it’s called red hair, it actually appears more orange. That’s because the term “redhead” came out before there was a word to describe orange.
There are two primary types of melanin in the body that cause pigmentation: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Red hair occurs when the body has a lot more pheomelanin than eumelanin, which causes pale or pink coloring rather than dark colors. That’s why redheads often have fair skin and freckles. Red hair is rare because eumelanin is typically much more common in the body than pheomelanin.
8. Red Bottom Heels Existed Long Before Louboutin
While heels with red on the bottom are typically associated with the luxury brand Louboutin, similar styles have been around long before. Paintings depict King Louis XIV wearing shoes with red heels in the 17th century. At the time, red was a color of nobility, and both men and women of high status wore heels.
During that time period, red was likely a way to show off that royalty never got their shoes dirty. It could also symbolize the blood of their enemies. Of course, red-soled Louboutin shoes today are nothing like that. Louboutin is meant to be flirtatious and passionate rather than morbid and vengeful. However, one thing that’s the same is that red-bottom heels have been worn by wealthy individuals both today and throughout history.
9. Bulls Don’t Actually Hate the Color Red
It’s a common myth that bulls hate the color red. That’s why, in cartoons, characters wave red capes at bulls to anger them. While red is frequently used to enrage bulls in bullfights, the color actually doesn’t matter. Bulls don’t hate the color red because it isn’t even a color they can see. They’re missing the red cone cells that humans have in their eyes, so red objects likely look more yellowish-gray to them.
While bulls don’t particularly hate red, they still charge when they see a red cape. That’s because they’re angered by the motion of waving the object rather than the color of the cape. It’s an unfamiliar object that bulls might find threatening, so they charge at it as they would at any items waving near them, regardless of the color.
10. Lobsters Turn Red When Cooked
If you ask someone what color a lobster is, most people will say red. That’s because whenever lobsters are drawn in cartoons or on products, they’re always red. Yet, live lobsters are never red. They can come in just about any other color. Most lobsters have hints of brown, gray, yellow, green, and orange in their coloring, but they can even be blue or spotted in some instances.
People assume lobsters are red because all lobsters turn red when cooked. The red pigment in a lobster’s shell remains stable when exposed to high temperatures, while the other color pigments are destroyed. Thus, even though live lobsters don’t appear red, the lobsters we eat usually have a vibrant red color.
11. Red Pandas Were Named Before Giant Pandas
Many people believe red pandas were named after giant pandas because they have similar features but with a red-orange coat. However, red pandas were actually discovered and named before the famous giant pandas. Red pandas were first discovered in 1825, while giant pandas were found in 1869.
Red pandas and giant pandas belong to different animal families. However, giant pandas received the name “panda” because they have very similar eating habits to red pandas. Other than that, these two “pandas” aren’t similar at all.
12. Wearing Red May Increase Chances of Winning Sports Events
Studies indicate that wearing red during a physical contest increases your chances of winning. Red can evoke feelings of dominance and aggression, which may help individuals feel stronger and more confident during sporting events. While there was only a slight difference, the study revealed that Olympic competitors showed more dominance and aggression while wearing red instead of blue or gray. This was true for both male and female competitors.
Sports teams with red logos also seem to win more games. This could be because there are many teams with red logos, but those colors were likely chosen carefully because they’re known for better performance. Red is the most common color in the MLB and NBA and among the most used colors in the NFL.
Of course, wearing red or using red in your logo doesn’t guarantee you’ll win. Yet, current statistics indicate that this vibrant color may give sports players an advantage due to its psychological effects.
13. The Color Red May Increase Your Appetite
Certain colors can affect your appetite and how you perceive food. Since red is a bold, stimulating color, it may increase your appetite. Looking at the color red may increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism, making you hungrier and evoking feelings of excitement around food.
This is why many fast-food logos use red in their designs. When people see the brand’s logo and advertisements, they may be more interested in the food simply because red is present. Even if it doesn’t make you hungrier, red is still a vibrant color that’s sure to catch your attention, helping fast-food chains stand out among other businesses.
14. Red Was One of the Earliest Pigments Used in Art
Artists have been using the color red since the first cave paintings in Spain approximately 40,000 years ago. People would grind up red ochre and use it to paint walls and their bodies. Red and black were easily attainable in nature at the time, which is why those colors appear so frequently in cave paintings.
In later years, red pigments were used for pottery in China and paintings in Egypt. Over time, people learned new ways to create the color red for art, such as using cinnabar, vermilion, and crimson. Regardless of how it was made and what it was used for, art pieces with red were always bold and stood out among other colors.
