Let me rephrase the question – Do we call the Visible Spectrum that because that’s what we can see or is there something different about that part of electromagnetic spectrum (ES) that allow vision to occur. Alternately, If light is dual in nature, being both a wave and a particle, is that the same for other parts of the ES?
Which brings me to the question that I’m most curious about; would it be possible for a creature exist that can see, the same way we see, but using frequencies from other areas of the ES?
In: 23
Yes, there are creatures that can see outside of the human visible spectrum, but not very far. Just a bit into the infrared and the ultraviolet.
As for why we can detect those wavelengths, two main reasons. One, those wavelengths pass through water. As it is believed that life started in the ocean, the first eyes would only have been able to detect light that could penetrate into the ocean.
Second, these wavelengths have the property that they can interact with small molecules. Infrared light and longer wavelengths are too big and weak to effect much, and mostly just scatter off our cells. Ultraviolet light and smaller wavelengths are too small and powerful, and will shoot right through our cells, mostly zipping right through but sometimes causing damage. The wavelengths in between, however, can be absorbed by the right kind of molecule, and the energy of that absorption can be used to send a signal that “hey, I just caught a photon!”
So yes, the visible range does have some special properties that make it suitable for use in vision.
I have heard anecdotal tales of insects being affected by very long wavelengths, like the 120 Hz signal from power lines, but I have not seen any scientific confirmation. It is possible that some creatures can detect wavelengths far from the visual spectrum in some way, but it wouldn’t be in the form of “vision.”
Light has the same physics as other parts of the EM spectrum. But it isn’t a complete coincidence that we see the range we see.
Specifically, the range of frequencies we see happens to correspond to the amounts of energy required to bend certain kinds of bond without breaking them. This also happens to be a range of frequencies in which most stars emit their light. “Seeing” things that break bonds would be hard, since that would require the production of new molecules. And seeing things that can’t really interact with molecules easily would be even harder. So that limits sight of the kind we have to a fairly narrow window around the visible range, although that range is wider than the range we actually see (some animals can see IR or UV that we can’t).
That said, if we lived on a planet where the primary sort of illumination were different, we would probably have evolved very different senses.
Light has the same physics as other parts of the EM spectrum. But it isn’t a complete coincidence that we see the range we see.
Specifically, the range of frequencies we see happens to correspond to the amounts of energy required to bend certain kinds of bond without breaking them. This also happens to be a range of frequencies in which most stars emit their light. “Seeing” things that break bonds would be hard, since that would require the production of new molecules. And seeing things that can’t really interact with molecules easily would be even harder. So that limits sight of the kind we have to a fairly narrow window around the visible range, although that range is wider than the range we actually see (some animals can see IR or UV that we can’t).
That said, if we lived on a planet where the primary sort of illumination were different, we would probably have evolved very different senses.
Light has the same physics as other parts of the EM spectrum. But it isn’t a complete coincidence that we see the range we see.
Specifically, the range of frequencies we see happens to correspond to the amounts of energy required to bend certain kinds of bond without breaking them. This also happens to be a range of frequencies in which most stars emit their light. “Seeing” things that break bonds would be hard, since that would require the production of new molecules. And seeing things that can’t really interact with molecules easily would be even harder. So that limits sight of the kind we have to a fairly narrow window around the visible range, although that range is wider than the range we actually see (some animals can see IR or UV that we can’t).
That said, if we lived on a planet where the primary sort of illumination were different, we would probably have evolved very different senses.
I think some of the posts miss a few details about why 100s of nanometres is a good place to be able to “see”.
Any shorter and we’re in the ionising range, any longer and proteins would have to be too large to detect them (and photon energies would be too low).
Thankfully the atmosphere allows only light (and a little UV and IR) through so that’s what evolution has worked around. Proteins are just the right size to work as detectors.
Alien planets using familiar carbon based life could evolve around longer wavelengths for “sight”, but something needs to block ionising radiation.
I think some of the posts miss a few details about why 100s of nanometres is a good place to be able to “see”.
Any shorter and we’re in the ionising range, any longer and proteins would have to be too large to detect them (and photon energies would be too low).
Thankfully the atmosphere allows only light (and a little UV and IR) through so that’s what evolution has worked around. Proteins are just the right size to work as detectors.
Alien planets using familiar carbon based life could evolve around longer wavelengths for “sight”, but something needs to block ionising radiation.
I think some of the posts miss a few details about why 100s of nanometres is a good place to be able to “see”.
Any shorter and we’re in the ionising range, any longer and proteins would have to be too large to detect them (and photon energies would be too low).
Thankfully the atmosphere allows only light (and a little UV and IR) through so that’s what evolution has worked around. Proteins are just the right size to work as detectors.
Alien planets using familiar carbon based life could evolve around longer wavelengths for “sight”, but something needs to block ionising radiation.
All electromagnetic radiation is the same phenomena. There’s nothing special about visual light. It’s just what our eyes are adapted to see of the entire spectrum. Light isn’t dual in nature. Light is light and we just don’t have a good explanation for it currently and depending on the specifics it’s sometimes preferable to talk about it as either a wave or a particle but light is its own thing.
The answer to your question is yes. As long as the creature in question has some kind of sensory adaptation for a specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation then they will sense it. Technically you can sense infra red light. That’s why you feel hot on a sunny day or infant of a fire. Heat is just infrared light.
All electromagnetic radiation is the same phenomena. There’s nothing special about visual light. It’s just what our eyes are adapted to see of the entire spectrum. Light isn’t dual in nature. Light is light and we just don’t have a good explanation for it currently and depending on the specifics it’s sometimes preferable to talk about it as either a wave or a particle but light is its own thing.
The answer to your question is yes. As long as the creature in question has some kind of sensory adaptation for a specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation then they will sense it. Technically you can sense infra red light. That’s why you feel hot on a sunny day or infant of a fire. Heat is just infrared light.
All electromagnetic radiation is the same phenomena. There’s nothing special about visual light. It’s just what our eyes are adapted to see of the entire spectrum. Light isn’t dual in nature. Light is light and we just don’t have a good explanation for it currently and depending on the specifics it’s sometimes preferable to talk about it as either a wave or a particle but light is its own thing.
The answer to your question is yes. As long as the creature in question has some kind of sensory adaptation for a specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation then they will sense it. Technically you can sense infra red light. That’s why you feel hot on a sunny day or infant of a fire. Heat is just infrared light.
Latest Answers