In its latest "new questions" column, New Scientist raises two puzzles from everyday observation. The first is aesthetic: why do humans readily enjoy black-and-white photos and videos, yet have less tolerance for images that use only two other colours? The second is biological: if two chromosomes are better than one, why not three?
The two questions are unrelated, but both touch on assumptions about human preference and genetics. The monochrome question suggests that removing all colour is somehow acceptable, while restricting a palette to two non-black-and-white colours feels different to viewers. The chromosome question challenges the idea that more genetic material should always be an advantage.
New Scientist does not provide answers in the source, framing both as open questions. Since there is only one source, there are no conflicting views to compare; the article simply presents these as unresolved curiosities for readers to consider.