Researchers mimic riflebird feathers to make blackest fabric ever
Inspired by riflebird feathers, Cornell researchers created an ultrablack fabric. By studying how melanin-rich barbule structures trap light, they mimicked this effect on merino wool. After using polydopamine to dye the fabric, the team used plasma treatment to etch nanofibrils. The resulting material reflected only 0.13% of light and stayed ultrablack across viewing angles.