IR photography is the recording of images using IR wavelengths from around 700nm to 1200nm, invisible to the human eye, though visible to some species of animals, including certain species of fish such as goldfish and piranhas. Piranhas live in rivers in South America, which are full of decaying vegetation. The water appears virtually black to the human eye because most of the visible light is absorbed by molecules of decaying vegetation dissolved in the water. These dark red molecules do not absorb IR radiation, however, and the piranha’s IR-sensitive vision allows it to see very well in the gloomy water. It has also been found that many insects, including several genera of butterflies, can see ...
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