Is the spinal cord silver?

it is a greyish white.
Or blood red, if ripped freshly from your body.

I learn so much I never really needed to know here.

I somehow suspect @ragingloli also has a recipe or three for spinal cords.

they are only good for stock

Yes, the spinal cord is silver. Keep in mind that this means in color, not as a mineral, although there may be some correlation that humans have not yet been able to rectify through scientific explanation.

The color ‘silver’ is often mislabeled as ‘white’ or ‘grey’. There is a difference between the three, which is often confused by the naked eye. Under a microscope, the varying shades are quite visible on a prism scale.

The reason this is not commonly known today stems from various reasons:

1. Evolution Any creature that developed a spinal column has a spinal cord. Every spinal cord is silver. Its end is what is now referred to as a ‘tail’. Over time, the end of this cord has evolved to look differently based upon the species. For example, some are now covered in skin, scales or hair. Some have gone away almost completely. Humans are a prime example. Fetuses develop a tail which, in most cases, dissolves. For the rare instance that one survives birth, it is covered in skin. The only exception that has survived is with unicorns. Their tails, while hair, are silver. Because their species has mastered the art of secrecy, there has been no need for their tail color to evolve for camouflage purposes.

2. Religion Anyone who believes in “Creationism” often refuse to believe in evolution.

3. Human Nature Most people shudder at the thought of knowing the gory details regarding any living creature, much less a human’s. It has become a taboo subject, even if it is only about the color. Mention, “My white blood cell…” and the listener becomes woozy and begs to stop the conversation.

So there you have it. The truth in a nutshell.

@Pied_Pfeffer what color is the atrophied portion of the spinal cord in someone with a severe spinal cord injury?

@rojo I don’t know.