Cats Can See Things That Are Invisible To Humans
Cats are considered by many to be symbols of mysticism due to their elegant, flexible bodies and their intense gaze that can "magnetize" anyone.
According to researchers, there is another reason why cats are considered "mysterious creatures": because they can see things our human eyes can't.
Cats, like other animals, have the so-called psychedelic vision, the ability to see stripes on the petals of flowers or tiny patterns on the wings of birds that are invisible to the human eye. The secret behind this "supervision" is ultraviolet light.
"There are many examples of things that reflect UV rays that UV-sensitive animals can perceive, whereas the anatomical structure of the human eye does not allow them to be perceived," explained Ronald Douglas, a professor of biology at City University London who has conducted studies on the subject.
Pictures Credit: Pixabay
Reindeer can also see polar bears by reflecting UV rays in snow, an essential adaptation in the Arctic environment, while most humans see only ... white snow.
Explaining The Mystery Behind The "Supervision" Of Cats
Light is composed of a spectrum of colors. Visible light (which humans can see) ranges from red to violet, and beyond that are ultraviolet wavelengths (at the other end is infrared). It is well known that many animals can see ultraviolet waves, including some insects (such as bees), birds, fish, certain amphibians, certain reptiles, certain mammals (even rodents, marsupials, and bats).
This might explain why cats show so much interest in ordinary objects, such as a piece of paper. Chemicals that are added to paper, and textiles, in order to make objects brighter, absorb ultraviolet light, and they may look different in the eyes of cats who are so sensitive to UV rays.
The same phenomenon also explains cats' night vision. "Until now, no one believed that these mammals could see in ultraviolet light at night, and the discovery may explain some seemingly bizarre details in their behavior," said study author Ron Douglas.
The human eye blocks these ultraviolet waves, but some animals' eyes perceive them, they reach the retina so the animals can see at night.
According to researchers, there is another reason why cats are considered "mysterious creatures": because they can see things our human eyes can't.
Cats, like other animals, have the so-called psychedelic vision, the ability to see stripes on the petals of flowers or tiny patterns on the wings of birds that are invisible to the human eye. The secret behind this "supervision" is ultraviolet light.
Cats See What Humans Can't
According to scientific studies, cats, dogs, and other animals can perceive this type of light that humans cannot."There are many examples of things that reflect UV rays that UV-sensitive animals can perceive, whereas the anatomical structure of the human eye does not allow them to be perceived," explained Ronald Douglas, a professor of biology at City University London who has conducted studies on the subject.
Pictures Credit: Pixabay
Reindeer can also see polar bears by reflecting UV rays in snow, an essential adaptation in the Arctic environment, while most humans see only ... white snow.
Explaining The Mystery Behind The "Supervision" Of Cats
Light is composed of a spectrum of colors. Visible light (which humans can see) ranges from red to violet, and beyond that are ultraviolet wavelengths (at the other end is infrared). It is well known that many animals can see ultraviolet waves, including some insects (such as bees), birds, fish, certain amphibians, certain reptiles, certain mammals (even rodents, marsupials, and bats).This might explain why cats show so much interest in ordinary objects, such as a piece of paper. Chemicals that are added to paper, and textiles, in order to make objects brighter, absorb ultraviolet light, and they may look different in the eyes of cats who are so sensitive to UV rays.
The same phenomenon also explains cats' night vision. "Until now, no one believed that these mammals could see in ultraviolet light at night, and the discovery may explain some seemingly bizarre details in their behavior," said study author Ron Douglas.
The human eye blocks these ultraviolet waves, but some animals' eyes perceive them, they reach the retina so the animals can see at night.
