years ago i learned (thank you, oatmeal) about mantis shrimp and how it can perceive 12* different color channels and i am not the same person since

for comparison, we, humans, can only perceive 3 channels (red, green, blue)

what do the other 9 channels look like?

🤷‍♂️

*— it actually varies from 12 to 16

how do they know it can perceive that many color channels?

GPT says:

"The idea that mantis shrimp can perceive 12 to 16 different color channels comes from studies on their unique visual system. Unlike humans, who have three types of color receptors (red, green, and blue), mantis shrimp have up to 16 types of photoreceptor cells in their eyes.

Scientists determine this by analyzing the opsins (light-sensitive proteins) in the shrimp’s photoreceptors and testing their response to different wavelengths of light. However, interestingly, research suggests that while mantis shrimp have more photoreceptors, they don't necessarily perceive color in a more complex way than humans do. Their brains process color differently, likely in a more categorical way rather than through blending like we do.

So, while they can detect a wider range of light wavelengths, their actual color perception might not be as advanced as we once thought!"

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magic

https://warpcast.com/eirrann.eth/0x8e79df74