Dogs Don't See Like You and Me
My dog Kobi doesn't see red tomatoes the way we do; to him, a red tomato would look brownish-grey.
British spelling.
Imagine looking at the world through completely different lenses—literally. Our eyes, with their intricate design, allow us to see a vibrant array of colours.
That is thanks to the three types of photoreceptor cells in our retinas called cones. These cones—blue, green, and red— are blending colours to create the rich visual tapestry we experience every day. With around 6 million cones in each eye, our vision is finely tuned to the spectrum of light around us.
But not all creatures see the world the way we do. Take my dog Kobi, for instance. Kobi, like all dogs, have two types of cones, the missing one being Red.
So, while we might see a juicy red tomato as a burst of colour, dogs see it in shades of brownish-grey. It’s a different perspective, one that’s been shaped by evolution.
Dogs are not alone in this unique view of the world. Cats, along with most other mammals have just two cone types. But it’s not just a matter of seeing fewer colours; some animals see colours in ways we can’t even imagine. Insects, for example, can sometimes perceive ultraviolet light—a part of the spectrum that’s invisible to us. Their world is painted with colours and patterns we’ll never see.
And then there are creatures who don’t rely on sight at all. Think about the star-nosed mole or the Texas blind salamander. These animals live in environments so dark—like underground tunnels or deep within caves—therefore eyes are unnecessary to them.
Over time, they’ve evolved to survive without them, relying instead on other heightened senses to navigate their pitch-black worlds.
It’s fascinating to think about how different life must be for these creatures, each experiencing the world in their own unique way. Whether it’s seeing fewer colours, more colours, or none at all, the variety in vision reminds us of the incredible diversity of life on Earth.
And it makes me appreciate my own eyesight just a little bit more, being able to see the amazing world we call home.
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