(Photo: PLOS Computational Biology/Reproduction)
There are many images that make our minds doubt what is before our eyes. One of the most famous was the image of a dress that divided opinions on the internet a few years ago. While some people saw it in white and gold, others saw it in black and blue.
However, a new image of this rectangle has now emerged, and most people can see two colors in it. However, the truth is that it only has one color, and this has puzzled everyone.
Science can explain why our eyes deceive us. The first answer to this is the well-known optical illusions. This happens when our eyes interpret visual information incorrectly, leading to distorted perceptions of reality.
The second explanation has to do with a slightly more complex and scientific answer, called the simultaneous contrast illusion.
What does that mean?
In previous studies, this illusion had not been taken into account by researchers. However, more recent research has shown that there is an influence in this area. Therefore, from now on, in the scientific view, the problem lies in the speed at which the neurons in our eyes come into action.
There is a way to reproduce the same captures that human eyes have and understand what is happening. Through experiments and computer modeling, scientists have learned to simulate the way our eyes process visual information.
They discovered that, when faced with many contrasts in just one image, the neurons responsible for color perception become overloaded.
Analyzing this data, it was possible to see that, among the multiple neurons involved in vision, some were evolving and becoming more capable of understanding more complex images, such as those with a huge variety of colors.
This evolution has allowed us to see a wide variety of hues and distinguish subtleties in colors. Understanding these phenomena has an impact on both science and our perception of the world.
