{
  "id": 15201952,
  "title": "Red-sensitive pigments in mantis shrimp eyes act as reversible light switches",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/red-sensitive-pigments-in-mantis-shrimp-eyes-act-as-reversible-light",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-17T13:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-10-red-sensitive-pigments-mantis-shrimp.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mantis shrimp possess an extraordinary visual system, with about 30 visual pigments compared to the three found in human eyes. A team of researchers from ULiège and Humboldt University in Berlin recently analyzed these pigments, discovering that some detect red light, a capability rare among most animals. This finding, published in Science Advances, could have applications in optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control cell activity. Vision relies on proteins called opsins that capture light and convert it into electrical signals for the brain to interpret. In humans, three cone pigments are sufficient for color perception, while many invertebrates have multiple pigment types. Mantis shrimp take this a step further, with their eye divided into two hemispheres and an exceptional number of opsins in the color vision band. An international team of scientists combined an in vitro expression platform with electrophysiological expertise to study the 17 visual opsins in the mantis shrimp's median band. They found 12 standard green opsins, three infrared opsins, and two blue-orange bistable opsins. These bistable pigments can reversibly switch between two stable states when absorbing light, a property not previously observed in animals. This enables sensitivity to extend to 687 nanometers, allowing the shrimp to see light beyond the visible spectrum. Four of these pigments have a unique property: they switch between red and blue activation, while the others switch between blue and orange activation. This suggests that the mantis shrimp uses different pigment combinations depending on ambient light levels, potentially aiding in locating prey, avoiding predators, or defending territory. The shrimp's visual system could also have applications in optogenetics, as these opsins belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, which is implicated in various diseases and is a target for many medicines. Red light, which these opsins respond to, can penetrate deeper into tissues and is less harmful than blue or ultraviolet light. However, the specific functions of these unique visual capabilities in mantis shrimp behavior remain unconfirmed and will require further behavioral experiments.",
  "summary": "With about 30 visual pigments, compared to just three in humans, mantis shrimp possess a visual system that remains a mystery. Researchers from ULiège and Humboldt University in Berlin have, for the first time, analyzed these pigments one by one and discovered that some detect red light that very few animals can perceive. This finding, published in Science Advances, has potential applications in…",
  "key_points": [
    "Mantis shrimp have 30 visual pigments compared to humans' three.",
    "Two blue-orange bistable opsins in mantis shrimp eyes act as reversible light switches.",
    "These opsins could aid in optogenetics due to red light sensitivity."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}