Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Color Vision

Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Stepwise molecular specification of excitatory synapse diversity onto cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Nature neuroscience·2024

Same author

Diversity of visual inputs to Kenyon cells of the Drosophila mushroom body.

Nature communications·2024

Same author

Hue selectivity from recurrent circuitry in Drosophila.

Nature neuroscience·2024

Same author

Hue selectivity from recurrent circuitry in <i>Drosophila</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2023

Same author

Isotopic and Compositional Variations in Single Nuclear Fuel Pellet Particles Analyzed by Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.

ACS omega·2020

Same author

Circuit Mechanisms Underlying Chromatic Encoding in Drosophila Photoreceptors.

Current biology : CB·2020

Same journal

The microlandscapes of tree trunks: the effect of lichen and tree-level characteristics on arthropod communities.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Centimetre-scale landscapes to assess the motion behaviour and cognition of gastropods and bivalves.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Intertidal microcosms of wave-swept rocky shores: ecological and physiological insights from a uniquely stressful environment.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Temporal and spatial variation in temperature and oxygen at the microscale: key niche axes for aquatic life.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Natural microcosms in ecology: fulfilling the promise of model systems?

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Microbe-induced galls and plant defence: metabolite crosstalk in a co-evolutionary battle.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

Published on: May 2, 2019

Exploiting colour space geometry for visual stimulus design across animals.

Matthias P Christenson¹, S Navid Mousavi¹, Elie Oriol²

¹Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|September 4, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new method to create visual stimuli for studying animal color vision. This approach helps map the color space of any species by precisely controlling light, aiding diverse research in vision science.

Keywords:

Python colour management colour space colour vision nonlinear optimization univariance

More Related Videos

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

Published on: May 2, 2019

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

Area of Science:

Vision Science
Sensory Biology
Animal Perception

Background:

Color vision is crucial for species survival and ecological interaction.
Current laboratory methods for creating chromatic visual stimuli lack standardization.
A unified approach is needed to accurately probe and compare color spaces across species.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a standardized methodology and software package for designing chromatic visual stimuli.
To enable efficient mapping of the color space for any species with known photoreceptor sensitivities.
To facilitate consistent and comparable color vision research across different experimental systems.

Main Methods:

Developed a hardware-agnostic approach integrating photoreceptor models with the principle of univariance.
Included methods to manage uncertainty in photoreceptor spectral sensitivity data.
Incorporated techniques for optimal reconstruction of hyperspectral images.

Main Results:

The presented methods allow for the precise construction of desired light distributions using multiple light sources.
The approach successfully enables the mapping of an organism's color space.
The programming package efficiently supports stimulus design for diverse species.

Conclusions:

The developed methods provide a unified framework for constructing chromatic visual stimuli in laboratory settings.
This approach enhances the ability to study and compare color vision across a wide range of species.
The work supports broad applications in color vision science, particularly for arthropod studies.