cpt-city

Fabio Crameri

The Scientific colour maps were developed to address a persistent but often overlooked problem in data visualisation: many commonly used colour scales distort data, introduce false patterns, or exclude viewers with colour-vision deficiencies. For more details, see F. Crameri, G. E. Shephard and P. J. Heron, The misuse of colour in science communication, Nature Communications 11 p. 5444 (2020). DOI .

Designed by Fabio Crameri, these colour maps are perceptually uniform, colour-vision-deficiency friendly, and scientifically accurate, ensuring that equal steps in data are perceived as equal steps in colour. Their use helps prevent misinterpretation, improves reproducibility, and makes figures accessible to a wider audience without sacrificing visual clarity. By adopting Scientific colour maps, scientific results can be communicated more honestly and effectively — letting the data speak for itself rather than being shaped by misleading colour choices.

The maps here are taken from version 8.0.1 of the package (2023).