Will the eyes see through the night?

US scientists have justified the reason why freshwater fish and some amphibian species can see infrared and the ability of the eye to change flexibly for different environments.

The results of the study also open up hope that one day people can possess the ability to see in the dark .

For almost a century, scientists have been very interested in the ability of salmon eyes and some freshwater fish or amphibians to change.

These species often live in two environments with completely different, dark light such as under the sea or full of light such as on land or in inland river waters.

Their eyes have the ability to regulate so that they can be seen in different environments and especially can see infrared rays - electromagnetic radiation has longer wavelengths than the human eye can see.

Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis Louis (USA) has successfully explained this strange ability.

Salmon has a special ability thanks to Cyp27c1 enzyme.(Photo: Bivs).

Professor, Dr. Joseph Corbo - author of the study - said: 'We discovered an enzyme called Cyp27c1 that could transform the visual system of some species of fish and amphibians, helping them able to see infrared. For example, when salmon move from the ocean into rivers, they activate these enzymes, activate a chemical reaction that changes the visual system, making it possible to look deeper into the turbid water. '

Cyp27c1 is closely related to vitamin A , which enhances vision, especially in low light. Cyp27c1 can convert vitamin A1 to vitamin A2 to enhance the visibility of light with long wavelengths such as red light and infrared light.

Humans also have a similar type of gene, but it is not activated. Therefore, we do not have the ability to see infrared rays or wear special glasses that support them.

However, this ability is not out of human reach.

In 2013, a team of researchers successfully performed their experiments to expand their vision into near infrared spectroscopy by implementing a diet supplemented with vitamin A2.

'Enzymes that help fish see in dark water environments can help us delve into the human brain. Human eyes that have not activated vitamin A2 do not mean we cannot use it. If we discover this secret, we can activate infrared light-sensitive neurons' - Corbo revealed.

Hopefully in the future, scientists will discover how to successfully activate this mechanism so that humans can possess pairs of 'magic eyes' capable of looking in the dark.

Research results of US scientists have been published in Current Biology.