A specular map is a texture used in 3D graphics to define how shiny or reflective a surface appears. It controls the intensity and color of specular highlights, which are the bright spots that appear on shiny surfaces when light hits them. By using a grayscale image, where white areas represent high reflectivity and black areas represent no reflectivity, artists can create realistic materials like metal, plastic, or skin. In game development and animation, specular maps are essential for achieving realism in materials. They work alongside other maps, such as diffuse maps and normal maps, to create a more detailed and visually appealing surface. This combination helps to simulate how light interacts with different materials in a scene.