Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Human Vision Can Sense a Single Photon
Institute for Creation Research ^ | 8-8-16 | Brian Thomas

Posted on 08/09/2016 8:13:55 AM PDT by fishtank

Human Vision Can Sense a Single Photon

by Brian Thomas, M.S. *

How well designed is the human visual system? Biophysics researchers from the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology in Austria and Rockefeller University recently demonstrated that people can see just a single photon of light. This led them to ask how evolution could have crafted a visual system sophisticated enough to overcome the overwhelming problem of discerning single photons from the sea of electromagnetic, molecular, and electrochemical "noise" inside a human head.

(Excerpt) Read more at icr.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: creation; intelligentdesign
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-27 last
To: fishtank
When I was 10, I had a spinthariscope that came with my Chemcraft chemistry kit. I was under the impression that these allowed me to see a single photon in 1957.

https://www.unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_12&products_id=506


21 posted on 08/09/2016 10:09:15 AM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Kill TWITTER !! Kill FACEBOOK !! Free MILO !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN

They look different under the neon light at closing time versus morning light.


22 posted on 08/09/2016 11:13:46 AM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: DUMBGRUNT
And at night all cats are Gray.

Not necessarily so.

I was born with ambliopia which causes the person so afflicted to loose the central vision in one eye. Central vision is the result of light receptors, known as cones, when stimulated , they report colors to the brain which fades to black as the light dims. The remainder of the retina is populated with receptors, known as rods, which respond to dim colored light. The brain react to this as dim white light.

When you step outside from a brightly lit room on a dark night your ability to see anything is compromised because your irises are contracted to their smallest aperture. If you have ambliopia your eyes are preset to respond to very dim light as a white image. You can also capture images of movement which otherwise is not perceptible.

Such images will blink out as soon as you look in a different direction.

This phenomena often results in seeing 'ghosts'

Regards,
GtG

23 posted on 08/09/2016 2:38:50 PM PDT by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, but it's OK. They all know me here.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: CopperTop

I can sense a single wonton.


24 posted on 08/09/2016 2:51:41 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Gandalf_The_Gray

Thank you, I find that very interesting.
I have some kin that are Ophthalmologists, they enjoy talking about this sort of thing!
All I have to do is get them started and everyone is happy!

And at night all cats are Gray, is a reference to Benjamin Franklin’s (IN)famous letter to a friend.

http://www.everipedia.com/Advice_to_a_Friend_on_Choosing_a_Mistress/


25 posted on 08/09/2016 3:21:47 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT (Looks like it's pretty hairy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Redcitizen

LOL, yeah I supposed they do.


26 posted on 08/09/2016 8:48:40 PM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Larry Lucido

Yeah well I can sense a single futon.


27 posted on 08/09/2016 9:01:51 PM PDT by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-27 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson