How Do We Actually See Color?

↓ More info and sources below ↓

What color is a banana? Duh, it’s yellow. But what is yellow? Now that you mention it, how do we see color in the first place? That’s the series of questions that led me to making this video. It started simple and took me down a rabbit hole of decoding our visual system. Turns out it’s way more interesting than I ever thought possible. You might even call it complex. In fact, it’s a wonder it even works. Biology… wow, right?

Thanks to vision researcher Dr. Jay Neitz from the University of Washington for helping us break down this complex science.

Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons:
AlecZero
Bob Rosset
Brent M.
Diego Lombeida

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[besmart]

How do we see color? WHAT IS A COLOR EVEN?! This started as a simple question and led me on quite a journey into how our visual system really works. Let me know what you think!

[DaAwsumDude]

I can’t believe he didn’t say, “colour is just a pigment of your imagination” at the end. Joe, my man, step it up

[goodsocksproductions]

I never thought I'd see a YouTube video sponsored by Lego

[bryanlesterbangay]

"Don't move your eyes. Just keep staring and watch what happens.." then bam

Ads.
Ya got me

[ryandupuis]

Other channels: Squarespace, Brilliant, Curiosity Stream, etc.

ItsOkayToBeSmart: *LEGO CITY*

[anonimiti]

"I can pretty much guarantee you will never look at colors the same way ever again"
Me a colorblind:

[ulti-mantis]

6:45 "...and watch what happens"
YouTube: This seems like a fine time for an intrusive ad!

[brianmerkosky]

I wonder what colors would look like from a mantis shrimps eyes with their 16 cones.

[Bigfoot_With_Internet_Access]

I'm no big city banana scientist or anything, but I'm pretty sure they're yellow

[tomeldee]

I just love the "easter egg" in the music track of the video when Isaac Newton holds the prism ( at 1:42 ) - you can hear a short bit of the song titled Time by Pink Floyd from around 5 minutes in the song. Which is a cool reference to the graphic design of the album titled The Dark Side of the Moon... I already loved this channel, but now I'm completely amazed! :)

[Yora]

3:50 Hooray! Finally a chart that shows that red sensing cells get slightly activated by blue light.
That's the reason we see violet wavelength looking like purple, and why humans are one of probably very few creatures for which a color wheel makes sense.
That very important little bump usually gets left out of most chart.

[UGMD]

Beginning of video: yellow!
End of video: yellow?

[DANGJOS]

Finally, a proper explanation on color and color theory! Most science channels do a terrible job explaining color, and they make inaccurate statements. But you did a great job! Only thing is that I wish you went into more detail explaining how the color opponent process actually relates to what colors we perceive, but still a great job overall.

[julushko]

As an artist that spent their whole life exploring light and hues and values.. It all comes naturally now when I draw, but Every time I had that same thing explained I wondered..” how do you dye the same thing multiple colours? Why everything has their own shade ?” And it was all in front of me.. why does wet paint look more vibrant? And duller when dry.. thanks for this. Helped me figure out most of my questions

[JJ-kleq]

For more info on color read the works of Red Hering and Howard Hues.

[AryaPDipa]

"What colour is a banana? It depends on-"

The species?

"how you look at it."

Okay that turns philosophical real quick.

[MSheepdog]

I was hoping you'd touch on tetrachromacy here, because I find that fascinating.
I wonder if people with 4 kinds of cones have different opposite-colours or can see see blue-yellow as an actual colour.

[Vladutz.]

Ah, I'm so glad you included that part from Time in the video showing the prism and the light. Thank you.

[ddt]

Joe: The impossible hugeness of deep time


Also Joe: What colour is a banana?

[portion]

Title makes for a good “Hey Vsauce Michael here.”