Mantis shrimp have a type of vision unlike any other animal on the planet — that much was known. But now scientists have determined, at a cellular level, how it is that these foot-long crustaceans see the world. And it stems from their unique photoreceptors.
In general, photoreceptors absorb light and convert it into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain for interpretation. Each photoreceptor is specific to a particular wavelength of light, which the brain translates into a color. Your dog has two kinds of photoreceptors: blue and green. You have three: blue, green and red. Our eyes can see these colors and every combination or variation thereof.
