• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » Aging Color Vision

Aging Color Vision

May 21, 2013
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/130521_sciup_color.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

BOB HIRSHON (host):

The aging eye. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

As we age, the lenses of our eyes start to yellow, which cuts down on the wavelengths of light that can enter the eye. That means teenagers and septegenerians should perceive colors differently. But they don’t. This according to University of Liverpool neuroscientist Sophie Wuerger. She and her colleagues studied color perception in 185 volunteers and found that colors appear the same regardless of age.

SOPHIE WUERGER (University of Liverpool):

The grass remains green whether we are 17 or 77 years of age.

HIRSHON:

They concluded that the brain must be compensating for the age-related yellowing of the lens by gradually recalibrating itself over time.

WUERGER:

It is quite remarkable that we can go through our whole life without having any significant changes in color appearance because our brain helps us and keeps our vision constant.

HIRSHON:

I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.

As the lens of the eye ages, it filters out certain colors. (Jupiter Images)
Category: Daily Show, Station DownloadTag: Aging, Biology, Brain Science, Physics, Social & Behavioral Sciences
Previous Post:Shark Siblicide
Next Post:Seabirds & Pollution

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Cat Video
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • NASA
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Image of computer screen depicting an orange cat with a variety of alphanumeric scientific data superimposed on the the screen.
Spotted skunk performing handstand to threaten predators

Copyright © 2025 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos