Hummingbirds can see colors humans can only imagine, an ability that now sheds light on an extra dimension of animal vision, a new study finds. Via InsideScience.
A nature photographer in Maryland snapped the chipmunk eating a snack.Hummingbirds can see colors humans can only imagine, an ability that now sheds light on an extra dimension of animal vision, a new study finds., humans are colorblind. Whereas humans possess three kinds of color-sensitive cones -- eye cells sensitive to red, green and blue light -- birds have a fourth cone type sensitive to ultraviolet light.
In theory, this extra cone type could help birds see far more colors than we can. Humans can perceive not only spectral colors -- those made up of a single sliver of the visible spectrum of light, ranging from red to violet -- but also non-spectral colors absent from the rainbow. One example is purple, which results from mixing red and blue, colors from opposite ends of the spectrum. Items we see as purple involve light rays that simultaneously activate red and blue cones in our eyes.
Based on more than 6,000 feeder visits, the scientists found hummingbirds can see not only purple, but also ultraviolet plus green, ultraviolet plus red and ultraviolet plus yellow. They could also tell apart different mixtures of ultraviolet and red light as well as ultraviolet and green light.
After analyzing 965 feather colors and 2,350 plant colors, the researchers suggested birds likely perceive not only the ultraviolet rays invisible to humans, but also many more unique non-spectral colors that we cannot see. This suggests these additional non-spectral colors might prove vital in nature for everything from scrounging for food to wooing a mate.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Vitamin D deficiency unlikely to fully explain COVID-19's effect on people of color: StudyPublic health officials in the United Kingdom have launched an urgent review into the potential role of vitamin D in protecting people against the coronavirus.
Read more »
The GUESS x J Balvin Colores Collection Is As Fun & Vibrant As The Name ImpliesThe GUESS x JBALVIN Colores Collection is as fun & vibrant as the name implies.
Read more »
What is the Sirtfood Diet?Though it hasn’t been confirmed, rumor has it that Adele lost weight following something called the Sirtfood Diet, which claims to be a “simple, healthy way of eating.” A registered dietitian takes a closer look:
Read more »
3 dead in stabbing at UK park; 1 person in custodyMultiple people were stabbed in a park outside of London, police said.
Read more »