Shrimp

Inside the Eye of the Mantis Shrimp: A Window on Scientific Innovation

Imagine yourself inside the brain of a mantis shrimp, an arthropod with such extraordinary visual abilities that it defies our imagination. Before you, this cross-section reveals a universe where light and nerve signals dance in perfect harmony. Bright green filaments and multi-colored nerve structures intertwine to create an unparalleled optical and brain machine.

These vibrant colors are not just a work of biological art. They represent the connections between the retina and the nervous tissues of this crustacean. In this space, each ray of light is decoded with a precision that human systems cannot match.

Did you know?: A multifaceted eye : The mantis shrimp has up to 16 types of photoreceptors (compared to only 3 in humans), which allows it to distinguish shades of color unimaginable to us.

Why does the mantis shrimp fascinate researchers?

The mantis shrimp's visual abilities go far beyond human vision. In addition to perceiving ultraviolet light and colors in a broader spectrum, it has a unique talent: detecting polarized light. This exceptional gift is now at the heart of revolutionary research.

  • Tumor detection : Researchers are taking inspiration from how these crustaceans use polarized light to develop technologies that can detect cancers. That’s because tumor tissue changes the polarization of light, a detail that mantis shrimp-inspired systems could exploit to identify tumors long before they’d otherwise be visible.
  • New medical optics : Thanks to the unique structure of their retina, these animals offer a model for creating ultra-precise optical devices.
Did you know? : Polarized vision : She is one of the few animals capable of detecting circular polarized light, a phenomenon that completely escapes human perception.

    A lesson in biological ingenuity

    This image, both complex and beautiful, takes us into the heart of an optical system that has evolved to meet the needs of an agile and fearsome marine predator. Green filaments, like luminous highways, connect the retina to a brain capable of processing complex signals in an instant. Every detail, every interaction, is a lesson in ingenuity and biological efficiency.

    Did you know?: A technological inspiration : Biomimetic research, which imitates nature to innovate, uses the structures of the mantis shrimp's eye to develop more efficient optical sensors and cameras.

    By studying these structures , scientists not only reveal the mysteries of this unique animal, but also open up perspectives to transform fields such as medicine and optics. This shrimp, so small in appearance, holds keys to major technological advances.

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