Perception is the way we see the world. Our nervous system processes the information that is received from our five senses. One of the five senses we use is our sight. Sight gives us a lot of information about our surroundings, like what color things are, who we are around, and where we are, making it our dominant sense. However, the way we perceive the world through sight is not the same as other organisms on Earth.
For instance, humans and animals see the world differently because of the different colors they perceive. Humans have three types of color detecting cells, which are also known as cones: short, medium, and long wavelength cones. Each cone is also referred to as blue, green, and red cones for the different wavelengths of light they are sensitive to. For our perception to be in a wide range of colors, signals from each of the three cones are interpreted by the brain. Colors are different for humans and animals because of the difference in the number of cones.
The range of colors an animal can see depends on how many cones they have. Mammals have only two cones, as they are missing the cone that detects red. Because of this, they can’t see as many colors as humans can. However, animals like fish, reptiles, and birds have four cones. The fourth cone is sensitive to ultraviolet light, allowing them to see more than what we humans can see. For example, if you are looking at a bird with darker colored feathers, birds will see more than that. A lot of birds have feathers that reflect the UV light, which is why they won’t appear the same way they would to the human eye.
Sources:
- https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-how-animals-see-color
- https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-do-other-animals-see-the-world.html
- https://www.aao.org/eye-health/anatomy/cones
