Nature has secrets. Hidden signals, invisible to most eyes, pulse through the world like a silent language. One of the most remarkable examples? Nature’s polarized light detection. And no creature does it better than the mantis shrimp. Mantis shrimp are not just colorful underwater brawlers; they are optical engineers. Their eyes contain specialized photoreceptors that can detect polarized light in ways no other known animal can. While humans rely on simple rods and cones to perceive color and brightness, mantis shrimp have up to 16 types of photoreceptors—some tuned specifically to polarization.
This allows them to see contrasts and patterns hidden from other creatures. To them, the ocean isn’t just blue—it’s filled with hidden signals, helping them spot prey, identify mates, and communicate in a private visual code.
How Do They Detect It?
To understand their supersense, you first need to know what polarized light is. Light moves as a wave, oscillating in all directions. When it reflects off certain surfaces—like water, glass, or the scales of fish—it becomes polarized, meaning the waves align in a particular direction. Most animals, including humans, can’t distinguish this. We just see brightness or glare. Mantis shrimp? They see it all. Their eyes can differentiate between different angles of polarization, almost like wearing built-in, ultra-sensitive polarized sunglasses.
Their trick lies in their microvilli—tiny, hair-like structures in their photoreceptors that act as microscopic waveguides. These structures analyze incoming polarized light, allowing mantis shrimp to detect details invisible to predators or competitors. Each microvillus functions similarly to an optical fiber, guiding light along specific pathways and filtering it based on its polarization state. By structuring their photoreceptors like an advanced optical grid, mantis shrimp can extract hidden details from their environment that other creatures—including humans—cannot perceive. Some species can even differentiate between left- and right-circularly polarized light, a rare ability in nature. This unique adaptation gives them an edge in hunting, , and navigation. The early resutls even indicate that mantis uses circular polarized body patterns to communicat with its kind [1].
Biomimetic Technology: Inspired by Nature
Scientists are now looking at mantis shrimp vision to build next-generation optical technology. Here’s how:
- Improved Cameras & Sensors – Polarization-sensitive cameras, inspired by mantis shrimp, could enhance satellite imaging, underwater navigation, and even medical diagnostics by detecting tissue abnormalities invisible to the human eye. For example, in satellite imaging, these cameras can detect environmental changes such as oil spills or hidden underwater structures by identifying variations in light polarization that standard cameras would miss.
- Better Sunglasses & Screens – Mimicking the shrimp’s eye structures could lead to superior polarized filters for sunglasses, LCD screens, and glare-reduction technology.
Seeing the World Differently
The mantis shrimp sees a reality hidden from us. What we call “light” is just a fraction of what’s actually there. By studying these creatures, we’re not just uncovering nature’s secrets—we’re engineering new ways to see and understand the world.
Maybe the best innovations don’t come from a lab. Maybe they’re already swimming around in the ocean, waiting for us to notice.
References
[1] Gagnon, Yakir Luc, et al. “Circularly polarized light as a communication signal in mantis shrimps.” Current Biology 25.23 (2015): 3074-3078.