The astonishing diversity of vision: Introduction to an issue of Vision Research on animal vision
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2020-05-20
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Cronin, Tom. The astonishing diversity of vision: Introduction to an issue of Vision Research on animal vision. Vision Research 172 (July 2020): 62-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2020.02.004
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Abstract
Trapped behind our own eyes we have a strong feeling of looking
out at reality, perceiving the world with the detail and colours conveyed
by the spatial and spectral sampling of our central visual field.
Other animals see different worlds; most invertebrates would be classified
as legally blind, but they are visually adept, and they often outperform
us with ultraviolet sensitivity and polarization vision. Some
animal eyes serve many purposes, whereas others are specialised.
The marvellous diversity of animal eyes reveals how natural selection
shapes vision, and has led to general principles. Here one name
comes to mind: Michael F. Land of the University of Sussex, known to
friends and colleagues as Mike. Taking an evolutionary and ecological
perspective for over half a century he has opened new fields, discovering
unexpected eyes and visual functions, and finding general
principles. Mike Land explains the physics and optics of vision with the
clarity that comes from deep understanding. This issue of Vision
Research celebrates Mike Land’s lifetime in science.