How do we know we have rods and cones in our eyes? Basically, how do we know they exist? And how do we know rods allow us to see light and motion while cones allow us to see color?
In: Biology
it’s THOUGHT that cones take in more energy to make colors but unless you’ve a seen them under a microscope you really can’t know for sure https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoreceptor_cell#/media/File%3A1414_Rods_and_Cones.jpg that picture might help! Notice how three rods are attached to one neuron and only one cone to one neuron, that means the rods team up to see in very little light because they all share a brain cell. The cones see color and require more light because each cone is attached to one neuron. So the rods can team up in the dark to activate a signal where as a cone sends more info but requires more light
We know what cells are there via anatomical studies, mostly on cadavers. That’s where lots of our knowledge of the human body comes from – just taking it apart bit by bit and inspecting the pieces.
We know what each cell does by observing what happens if they’re mutated or damaged, and more recently by analysis of the chemicals within them. The actual chemical process by which light activates those cells is well-understood, and lines up nicely with the observational study of what happens if they’re broken. For example, if someone lacks the cone cells that detect red light, they’ll be red-green color blind.
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