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WorldWeird: Weird Shrimp Has Astounding Vision

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    A Swiss marine biologist and an Australian quantum physicist have found that a species of shrimp from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, can see a world invisible to all other animals.

    Dr Sonja Kleinlogel and Professor Andrew White have shown that mantis shrimp not only have the ability to see colours from the ultraviolet through to the infrared, but have optimal polarisation vision -- a first for any animal and a capability that humanity has only achieved in the last decade using fast computer technology.

    Prof. White notes, "Some of the animals they like to eat are transparent, and quite hard to see in sea-water - except they're packed full of polarising sugars - I suspect they light up like Christmas trees as far as these shrimp are concerned." "And of course," Dr Kleinlogel concludes, "they can still flirt with each other using fancy polarisation cues!"


    Link.
  2.  (2244.2)
    "they can still flirt with each other using fancy polarisation cues!"


    I love geek humor so. much.

    Another exciting feature on HUDs, I hope. SCIENCE!
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      CommentAuthorWaxPoetic
    • CommentTimeMay 15th 2008
     (2244.3)
    @ Willow - dammit! that's what I noticed, too.

    will have to tell my cricket studying friends they've been outclassed - these guys must get laid so much at the conferences.
  4.  (2244.4)
    I should like to buy those scientists a drink.
    • CommentAuthorKosmopolit
    • CommentTimeMay 16th 2008
     (2244.5)
    Honestly, I'm less interested in the polarisation stuff than in the spectral range.

    These critters see 12 primary colors.

    What would it take to genetically engineer equivalent visual range into a human?

    The neural processing capacity required can't be that great since, well, it fits inside a shrimp's tiny little brain.
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      CommentAuthorCCosker
    • CommentTimeMay 16th 2008
     (2244.6)


    These critters see 12 primary colors.

    What would it take to genetically engineer equivalent visual range into a human?

    I'd pay to have that experience.
  7.  (2244.7)
    It's a pretty shrimp, too. I wonder what it looks like with Shrimp-o-Vision.
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      CommentAuthorWillow Bl00
    • CommentTimeMay 16th 2008 edited
     (2244.8)
    Well, we'd also have to tweek how the brain processes the new information it would be recieving.

    ..and my brain just fused to itself trying to think of all the possibilities that that in and of itself would induce.
    • CommentAuthorAnopheles
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2008
     (2244.9)
    I imagine that a person with such a modifcation would find the world of 'normal' colors rather bland, since these polarised sugars aren't too common. Seems like an industry would develop just to cater to them.

    Text and signs viewable by only those with the right eyes?
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      CommentAuthortedcroland
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2008
     (2244.10)
    Text and signs viewable by only those with the right eyes?


    Oh, Jesus...it's the beginning. They Live.
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      CommentAuthorMegaGoosey
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2008
     (2244.11)
    That. Is. Awesome.
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      CommentAuthorLazarus99
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2008
     (2244.12)
    @CCosker

    I wonder what it would do to one's sanity...
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      CommentAuthorPyD
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2008
     (2244.13)
    So can they now develop a pill that gives us that power for say 4 hours.

    They could sell it in special bars with comfy chairs and specially designed art installations.

    Squillions.
    • CommentAuthorWilf
    • CommentTimeMay 19th 2008
     (2244.14)
    'prawnographic'! I bet the guy's been waiting forever to get that in print! :)

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