But by one measure at least -- something called visual acuity -- human eyes can see fine details that most animals can’t, Duke University researchers say.
A new study of animal vision compared hundreds of species by the sharpness of their sight.
Instead, they estimate visual acuity based on an animal’s eye anatomy -- such as the spacing and density of light-sensing structures -- or using behavioral tests.
For instance, the wedge-tailed eagle of Australia can see 140 cycles per degree, more than twice the limit of human visual acuity.
Humans can resolve four to seven times more detail than dogs and cats, and more than a hundred times more than a mouse or a fruit fly.
“The point is that researchers who study animal interactions shouldn’t assume that different species perceive detail the same way we do,” Caves said.
CITATION: "Visual Acuity and the Evolution of Signals," Eleanor M. Caves, Nicholas C. Brandley, Sönke Johnsen. »
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