3 ms·
We know exactly how colour blindness works. Usually, the cones all work, but the range of wavelengths they can detect is slightly shifted from normal. Red-green
by frosted-flakes 8y ago
We know exactly how colour blindness works. Usually, the cones all work, but the range of wavelengths they can detect is slightly shifted from normal. Red-green/green-red colour blindness is the most common, and in that case the range of wavelengths that the red and green cones can detect overlaps more than they usually do.
That's how I understand it anyway.
- jobigoud 8y agoAnd that's how we are all colorblind compared to tetrachromats. They have four cone types that don't overlap. I wish in the future there will be a procedure where you can have cone cells injected to unlock these new colors.
- mcv 8y agoWould we be able to interpret those colours? How will our brain handle and interpret them? It might be like having to learn to see all over again. It's certainly a cool idea, though. And you don't have to stop at four. Don't butterflies have 6 different cones or something?
- frosted-flakes 8y agoThat's not true, actually. Tetrachromats see the same range of electromagnetic wavelengths as everyone else—there's just an extra cone in there that's mostly useless. There's a great video on YouTube called Tetrachromats Don't Have Superpowers that explains it quite well: https://youtu.be/fDoAs0qN7lU https://youtu.be/fDoAs0qN7lU
- OscarCunningham 8y agoLots of animals have the useful form of tetrachromacy though.