Color blindnessis a fairly common phenomenon , affect approximatelyone in 12 menandone in 200 womenworldwide . A much rarer condition is tetrachromacy – the total opposite of color blindness , tetrachromats might be privy to a world of color most of us ca n’t see .

According toHealthline , the ordinary someone has the potential drop to comprehend one million sunglasses of color . It is reckon mass with tetrachromacy have the potential to see 100 million specter , though inquiry into the shape is still in its former stages .

What is the origin of this superpower ? Much like color sightlessness , it is the resultant of a transmissible mutation . Most people are bear with three strobilus in each eye that aid us discover between unlike shades onthe color spectrum . Those hold color screen have two and those with tetrachromacy have four . agree to theCleveland Clinic , tetrachromats have a greater sensitivity to orange - similar color .

Concetta Antico discover her experience with the condition toBBC Future . She recalled art lessons she had taught in the park : “ I ’d say , ‘ depend at the light on the urine – can you see the pink shimmering across that stone ? Can you see the red ink on the border of that leaf there ? ’ ” The student would all nod in agreement . It was only years later that she agnize they were just too genteel to tell the the true : the colors she visualise so vividly were invisible to them . ”

It is think up to 12 percent of people with an XX chromosome could be tetrachromatic . However , not all people with this hereditary quirk will be able to feel a world in such graphic technicolor quite like Antico . According to theCleveland Clinic , this will count on whether the additional cone shape has a different frequency setting to the other cones and if there is a 4th colour television channel that start the brain to process the increased colour information .

In 2010 , a subject area publish in theJournal of Vision , only one of 24 participant carry the transmitted random variable displayed “ tetrachromatic behavior ” , key difference in all the shades test .

While colouring material sightlessness has been extensively study , relatively slight is have a go at it about tetrachromacy . We know very slight about how common it is or how it affects vision . It is thought masses with frail tetrachromacy might be a little salutary than the average person at distinguishing between shades and those with strong tetrachromacy may be seeing the world in colors that the sleep of us ca n’t see .

If you think you might be one of the lucky few with tetrachromacy , you might be disappointed to pick up there is n’t currently a honest testing method – despite many claims you might find online . According to theCleveland Clinic , researchers practice DNA testing to name mutations that might cause the condition . However , this is not enough by itself to substantiate you have tetrachromacy . That call for examination using highly specialised applied science in a research setting .

It is also worth mark that the way we recognize colours can vary from someone to person , even among those with the standard three cones . Just think back to theblue - and - mordant / lily-white - and - gold dresssaga of 2015 – if you’re able to remember that far . Color percept is not just ascertain by what we see but by how the brainpower interprets those colors . This can be entirely immanent and helps to explicate whysome people see blue when others see green . There is evenevidencethat hint how you see people of color may count on the language you speak .

And if you are not naturally endue in the color - sensing section , you might be pleased to know that researchers have been develop specialglassesthat could enable all non - tetrachromats the ability to see the world as Antico does .