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A chameleon changes color not for camouflage — but to suit its mood

Imagine your cheeks turning red when you're embarrassed. A chameleon's entire body turns red, from the tip of its nose to its tail. And this isn't camouflage, as we were taught in school. This is a real language of feelings.

For a long time, scientists thought that chameleons blend into leaves to hide. But in 2015, researchers from Switzerland solved the secret. Under the chameleon's skin, there are two layers of special cells with crystals. When the lizard is calm, the crystals are compressed, and the skin appears green. When it is angry, scared, or in love, the crystals move apart, and the skin flashes yellow, red, or orange.

A bright red chameleon is an angry chameleon, shouting to another: "Get out of my territory!" A dark, almost black one is a frightened baby. And a male courting a female becomes as colorful as a Christmas tree - blue, turquoise, and gold all at once.

Interestingly, some species can change color in 20 seconds. Faster than you can count to thirty. And the puncher chameleon from Madagascar has 8 different "moods" and shows them all with colors.

Think about it: we hide our emotions, smile when we are sad. But the chameleon is honest - it shines with everything it feels. Maybe that is why it lives so long in nature - up to 12 years. Because it does not lie to anyone, not even to itself.