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It's very difficult to quantify the relative strengths of the senses. Indeed, recent studies are suggesting that they are more interdependent than we once thought. For most humans, however, sight seems to be our most dominant and well-developed sense. A fascinating report from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute called "Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling the World" examines the basic mechanisms of sense reception. Nerves receive stimuli through organs with specialized receptor cells. These stimuli are then converted into electrical impulses that travel to specific areas of the brain. Predators, such as ourselves (as well as owls and tigers), usually have both eyes set in the front of the head, to maximize binocular vision and help spot prey. The "hunted," such as rodents, have eyes on either side of their heads, to see approaching danger. San Francisco's Exploratorium recently hosted a special exhibit dedicated to sight. The online companion site features all manner of fun optical illusions, as well as a tremendously well-researched links page that includes this tutorial on color
perception.
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