A team of scientists have been able to unravel the mystery surrounding thechameleon's ability to change colours.

The new study showed that chameleons are able to adjust a layer of specialized cells that are just beneath their skin's surface. This allows them to change colours with great speed in order to adjust to the environment. Experts have said that there are some other animals that change colours including e squid and octopus.

Chameleons make structural changes to affect how light reflects off their skin and appears to changecolors. The researchers looked at 5 healthy adult male chameleons, 4 healthy female adult chameleons and 4 juvenile chameleons in order to know about the ability of the chameleons to change color. They studied panther variety of chameleons and found that they had 2 layers of iridophore cells, which has a special type of light reflecting pigment in them. The iridophore cells contained nano crystals in various sizes, shapes and orientations, which allow the chameleons to change color.

Michel Milinkovitch, a professor of genetics and evolution at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, said, "When the skin is in the relaxed state, the nano crystals in the iridophore cells are very close to each other, hence, the cells specifically reflect short wavelengths, such as blue."

The study was published in the journal Nature.