The night sky appears black because of the way that light behaves. As of September 2019, scientists have discovered the darkest material yet, made from vertically aligned carbon nanotubes at MIT. This discovery has led to a deeper understanding of why objects can appear so dark.

In computer screens, black text on a white background is the most common format used because it provides the highest contrast and is the easiest color to read. Similarly, in printing, black ink is the most commonly used as it provides high contrast with white paper. This has led to its widespread use in books, newspapers, and documents.

Black has also become associated with many symbolic meanings across cultures. In Europe and North America, it is often linked with mourning, the end, secrets, magic, force, violence, fear, evil, and elegance. In the 19th century, English romantic poets, businessmen, and statesmen wore black as a symbol of their profession or status.

In the past, royalty, clergy, judges, and government officials in Europe often wore black as a sign of their importance. The Roman Empire also associated black with mourning, and over time it became linked with death, evil, witches, and magic. In ancient Egypt and Greece, black was used to represent the underworld.

Black has been used by artists since Neolithic times, appearing in cave paintings. Since the Middle Ages, it has become a symbol of solemnity and authority, which is why judges and magistrates still wear black today.

In many cultures, black is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. It can be seen as a representation of night versus day, good vs evil, or light vs dark. As an achromatic color, without hue, black is often paired with white and grey to create striking contrasts.

Finally, it's worth noting that black is actually the result of the absence or complete absorption of visible light. This fundamental property of black has led scientists to study its properties and behavior in great detail, including in applications like printing and computer screens.

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