The Evolution of Da Vinci's Painting: From Cadmium Yellow to Dark Red

Da Vinci's painting of St. John the Baptist at the Louvre appears dark today due to the oxidation of atoms in the paint, causing a change in color. The artist's use of specific atoms in his homemade paint altered the magnetic footprint and affected the way light interacted with the painting. This revelation led to the understanding that light changes the charge density of proteins in the eye, resulting in our own light show. It also provided insight into Schrodinger's concept of negative entropy organisms. Interestingly, humans only utilize atoms from one to iodine on the periodic table, with a preference for around 26 of them.

Play episode from 53:37

Transcript

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!

Get the app