Yes, it is something we studied in several neuroscience classes. What's really cool is that you can have developed such a skill without even realizing it. The

Yes, it is something we studied in several neuroscience classes. What's really cool is that you can have developed such a skill without even realizing it. The professors were demonstrating one of the visual tests of discrimination in a flat light field and I was the subject. The test was a pattern of light/dark bars where the contrast and edges were flattened beyond recognition, presented, then in slow steps distinction restored to the point where you could see a difference. Turns out I could literally see as obvious distinctions that no one else could see as anything but a perfectly flat-light screen. Our conjecture was that it developed from years of looking for the tiniest variations in fields of snow in flat light where a little ripple or angle can make a big difference skiing at 80mph. But until we did that test, I could never have told you that I could distinguish anything better than anyone else. Perceptual neuro guys/gals do these kinds of tests all the time finding the limits of the perceptual/neruo systems, and often find these, ahem, heightened abilities in top level athletes musicians, etc. There's also some fun ones where they expected to find some and didn't (topic for another day)