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Death Valley Noir

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The flooded playa in Death Valley, as it would be seen by a being who evolved on a planet orbiting a cool red star. Humans call a narrow segment of the electromagnetic spectrum “visible light”. But why is this range of wavelengths visible? Because we evolved on a planet circling a star that emits most of its electromagnetic radiation within this range. Organs sensitive to this part of the spectrum were thus favored by natural selection. What about creatures evolving on planets orbiting red stars, that emit significantly more infrared radiation than our sun? We can only speculate, and perhaps use some photographic magic to put ourselves in their place….


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