Two Tulsa authors wrote a book together about colors throughout the cosmos.
“The Universe in 100 Colors,” published in 2023, is written by Tyler Thrasher and Terry Mudge. The two were at Discovery Lab Tuesday night for a discussion. Thrasher coined a term in the book for a color that’s in many rental properties.
“I think it’s beautiful that ‘landlord white’ is in this book. Because we talk about the first color in the universe, the average color of the cosmos. We’re talking celestial colors that dominate the heavens, right? And then, here’s 'landlord white.’ It just goes to show that there’s wonder in even the most mundane things,” Thrasher said.
The off-white “landlord white” is used in many properties because it’s less expensive and masks dirt and grime, making it popular but less awe-inspiring than “horseshoe crab blood blue” or “cosmic latte” that also appear in the book.
Artistic and scientific pursuits that both Mudge and Thrasher enjoy also have a place in their work. The two enjoy debating how the human brain perceives color. “Magenta is just something our brains make up to fill the gap between red and blue spectral light,” Thrasher said.
“On the other hand, if your brain is perceiving it, it could exist. So, if you didn’t have eyes, you wouldn’t know that any color existed,” Mudge said.
The pair also draw links between colors and their practical uses, like how “horseshoe crab blood blue” is important to scientists.
“It has a specific chemical component that makes it ideal for testing vaccines and other things that might present toxins to the body,” Mudge said. “Basically, any vaccine you’ve gotten from the government has been tested on horseshoe crab blood initially.”
The duo plans to keep the universe in 100 theme and turn it into a series of books.
“The Universe in 100 Colors” is available for sale online and locally at Whitty Books, Magic City Books and Stem Cell Science Shop.
