Ever wonder what the world looks like through the eyes of your pet? Thanks to research being done at the University of Exeter, we're now one step closer to understanding animal POV.

The researchers have been studying how different species have unique visual sensitivities to color and UV light. The latest from their lab is an app that overlays different filters over digital photos to mimic the eyesight of several kinds of animals, including honeybees, ferrets, peacocks, and lizards.

Humans eyes are sensitive to blue, green, and red lights, which allow us to view a fairly broad color spectrum, while most other mammals (including dogs) only see in blue and yellow. Some scientists believe that cat vision is limited to blues and greys, though it's possible they see the world like dogs do, only with less hues and color saturation. Other animals, like bees and reptiles, are able to see colors on the UV light spectrum, which humans are unable to see.

If you were a bee, for instance, flowers would light up in brilliant UV technicolor as a beacon signaling where to pollinate. Lizard vision shows bright spots on male lizards indicating mating signals to female lizards that's invisible to any animals without UV vision, particularly predators.

Though the app is geared towards helping biologists better understand visual clues from animals and plants, it could also be useful in science classes or research projects involving any kind of dating based on lightwaves. It could even be useful for artists: Claude Monet gained the ability to see UV light after a cataract surgery that removed the lens from his left eye, allowing him to see shades of blue in white water lilies that aren't visible to most people.

The good news is, you no longer have to have lens-removing surgery to be able to see the UV spectrum. Bad news is the app is somewhat complicated to install, as it's meant for scientists and not the average Joe. But it's worth the trouble to get to see what your beloved Rex sees, right?

Tags
Pets, Science, Technology