MOST WHITES ARE GREYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 10

MOST WHITES ARE GREYS

Perfect white exists only as an unattainable scientific standard. All substances filling the layman’s conception of whiteness are actually darker, greyer than the perfect white. The nearest colours to the perfect white are those of the purest chalk or a very thick layer of new-fallen snow. But even these fall short of science ’s rigid standard. The increasingly wide use of the word white in connection with commercial articles, however, especially in advertising, made scientific recognition imperative. Research to determine a method of grading these varying shades of white was undertaken in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology colour

laboratory, says •• Science Service. •• Washington, D.C. The results, which constitute the basig of all modern discussions of whitenessg have been explained by Dr. David L, Mac Adam, of M.T.T., who conducted much of the research. All substance! which are ordinarily called white, h© told the conference, differ from (he per* feet white in one or two ways. All arg darker, greyer than the perfect white Some may show no other difference, ang these are regarded as greys of differing degrees of brightness. They are <<»te monly called whites, however, tin brighter substances being regarded a> » ' whiter than the othara. r