Science of color

Dr. Andrew Huberman elaborates on how we perceive different colors based on the wavelengths of light that are decoded by our nervous system. He explains that light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, which is presented both as particles and waves. The neurons in the retina detect specific frequencies within light, which are then decoded by the nervous system to create our experience of color through the reactivity of neurons tuned to different wavelengths.

Color perception occurs when light hits the eye, and photoreceptors convert it into electrical signals. There are three primary types of photoreceptors (cones) in the eye that respond to different wavelengths associated with red, green, and blue. The signals from these cones are then compared by the brain to determine the color perceived, enabling us to see a spectrum of colors. Color perception is not a direct image transmission to the brain but a derivation based on the comparison of wavelengths detected by the cones 1 2.

While our understanding of the mechanisms involved in color perception is consistent across individuals, the subjective experience of color (like whether your red is the same as my red) remains a philosophical question that exceeds empirical scientific reach 1.