GOBBLERS: Hyo-Eon Jin, a researcher in Seung-Wuk Lee’s UC Berkeley lab, dissects collagen from skin that covered a turkey head. PHOTOS BY SEUNG-WUK LEE
In bioengineer Seung-Wuk Lee’s native Korea, turkeys are often called seven-faced birds, a descriptive name stemming from their tendency to change the color of their neck and head depending on their mood. Normally red-faced, turkeys can become blue or even white as their excitement rises. Previous research had suggested that these colors resulted from light reflected off of the collagen structure that makes up the turkey’s skin, and Lee, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, wanted to see for himself.
He called a local turkey farm in northern California and explained that he wanted to purchase 10 turkey heads. The farm generously donated 20. The disembodied heads arrived at Lee’s lab via overnight delivery, and his team immediately began peeling off the skin ...
