How Do Chameleons Change Colors? Exploring Creature Camouflage

09/19/23 • 21 min

Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible

Wait... chameleons have crystals in their skin?! And there is an octopus with a costume box?? Today we're exploring creature camouflage and learning about two animals God created with very special camouflaging strategies. We're looking at:

What are cells in creatures’ bodies?
How does a chameleon change colors?
How does a mimic octopus change shapes?
Why don’t we need to blend in or change who we are?

Episode Links:

Order Nat Theo T-Shirts Through September 3rd: https://erynlynum.myshopify.com/

Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides!

Download the free Camouflage Creature Coloring Sheet

Video: Chameleon Changing Colors

Video: Looking at skin cells in a microscope

Video: Mimic Octopus Impersonating Other Creatures

Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation

Scriptures in Today's Episode:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

“But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12

“But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” 1 John 1:9

“I praise you (God) because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.” Psalm 139:14

Terms Learned in Today's Episode:

Cell: Tiny building blocks all living things are made out of

Chromatophore: Special cells that produce or change pigment (color)

Iridophore: Special cell (building blocks) in a chameleon’s skin (a type of chromatophore)

Nanocrystals: Tiny crystalline particles inside the chameleon’s special skin cells that can reflect different colors

Mimic: imitate, or pretend to be someone or something else

Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Order Eryn's New Book, The Nature of Rest

The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891

What are cells in creatures’ bodies?
How does a chameleon change colors?
How does a mimic octopus change shapes?
Why don’t we need to blend in or change who we are?

Episode Links:

Order Nat Theo T-Shirts Through September 3rd: https://erynlynum.myshopify.com/

Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides!

Download the free Camouflage Creature Coloring Sheet

Video: Chameleon Changing Colors

Video: Looking at skin cells in a microscope

Video: Mimic Octopus Impersonating Other Creatures

Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation

Scriptures in Today's Episode:

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

“But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12

“But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” 1 John 1:9

“I praise you (God) because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.” Psalm 139:14

Terms Learned in Today's Episode:

Cell: Tiny building blocks all living things are made out of

Chromatophore: Special cells that produce or change pigment (color)

Iridophore: Special cell (building blocks) in a chameleon’s skin (a type of chromatophore)

Nanocrystals: Tiny crystalline particles inside the chameleon’s special skin cells that can reflect different colors

Mimic: imitate, or pretend to be someone or something else

Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Order Eryn's New Book, The Nature of Rest

The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891

Previous Episode

How Do Fireflies Light Up and Which Creatures Glow in the Dark?

Have you ever seen fireflies glowing throughout a forest or field? God created a whole host of creatures that glow in the dark! Today we're exploring:

What is bioluminescence?
What creatures glow in the dark?
How do fireflies light up?
How do we shine God’s light?

Episode Links:

Order Nat Theo T-Shirts Through September 3rd: https://erynlynum.myshopify.com/

Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides!

Download the free Glow-in-the-Dark Creatures Coloring Page to go along with this lesson

Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation

Scriptures in Today's Episode:

“It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God’s command so what we see was made by something that cannot be seen.” Hebrews 11:3

“God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

“God once said, ‘Let the light shine out of the darkness!’ This is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts by letting us know the glory of God that is in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

“You are the light that gives light to the world... And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

“I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the light that gives life.” John 8:12

Terms Learned in Today's Episode:

bārā’ (baw-raw): Hebrew word for God’s special creativity

Bioluminescence: light that comes from living creatures

Photobacterium: Bacteria (tiny creatures) that produce living light

Twilight Zone: 650 - 3,300 feet deep in the ocean where sunlight doesn’t reach

Luciferin: Molecule used in bioluminescence

Luciferase: Enzyme that breaks down the Luciferin molecule to create living light

Lampyridae: Family or category of beetles, most which emit living light (Bioluminescence)

Glowworm: Larva (juvenile) form of fireflies

Thank you to the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) for their very helpful podcast episode on Living Light, which we used in researching for today's lesson! https://youtu.be/_nENsJLm2E8?si=RFvzjuCRp0V2tuFc

Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Order Eryn's New Book, The Nature of Rest

The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891

Next Episode

Do Trees Have Friends and Can They Talk to Each Other?

When God created plants, He made them in a very different way than animals and humans. And so the ways trees make friends and communicate with each other look quite different than our friendships and the way we talk! On this episode, we're exploring:

How are trees and plants different than animals and humans?
Do trees have friends?
How do trees communicate?
Why is it important that we choose our friends carefully?

Episode Links:

Order Nat Theo T-Shirts Through September 3rd: https://erynlynum.myshopify.com/

Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides!

Download the free Tree Friends coloring sheet and the Tree Secrets Devotional

Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation

Scriptures in Today's Episode:

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth produce plants—some to make grain for seeds and others to make fruits with seeds in them. Every seed will produce more of its own kind of plant.’ And it happened. The earth produced plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good.” Genesis 1:11-12

“So encourage each other and give each other strength, just as you are doing now.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Terms Learned in Today's Episode:

Nephesh: Hebrew word meaning living creatures (animal and humans) with blood, spirit, and the breath of life

Theology: The study of God

Forester: Someone whose job is taking care of a forest

Mycelium: Underground network of fungi, like a web of life, that produces mushrooms.

Tannin: Bitter chemical compound found in plants

Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.com

Sources that helped with research for this episode:

https://www.icr.org/article/are-plants-alive/

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

https://www.kariega.co.za/blog/do-giraffe-make-trees-talk-to-each-other

Mentioned in this episode:

Order Eryn's New Book, The Nature of Rest

The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891