Why do chameleons change color?
For grown-ups: the science
Chameleons change color using special skin cells that move color and reflect light, often to send messages or help control body temperature.
Chameleons change color through several layers of specialized skin cells. Pigment cells redistribute pigments, while iridophores contain tiny crystals that alter reflected wavelengths as their spacing changes. Color change is used chiefly in social signaling and thermoregulation; camouflage can occur but is not the main reason in many species.
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Transcript
A chameleon sits on a sunny branch. How can its skin change from green to brown?
A chameleon’s skin has tiny cells with color inside. The cells can spread the color out or bunch it up.
It also has shiny cells that bounce light. By changing those cells, the chameleon can look blue, green, or yellow.
Chameleons change color when they feel warm or cool, or when they see another chameleon. Color can help them send a message.
So chameleons change color with special cells in their skin. Their colors can help them talk to other chameleons.