If you do macro photography of insects or just get used to visiting galleries of this theme, you have certainly not gone unnoticed by the extremely complex eyes of flies. However, there are other more sophisticated eyes known to man. Its owner is the mantis shrimp , a species that occurs in Australian waters and that may hold the key to the manufacture of polarizing filters more sophisticated than today.

The function of a filter polarizer is to leave only the light that oscillates in a given spatial plane, blocking all others. However, when behind one of these filters is a device that affects the polarized light, add an extra step: a filter λ / 4 (λ = wavelength) that rotates the plane of polarization only simulate all have been removed. This will build circular polarizers are used in modern cameras. In the previous article you can see in detail the operation of a polarizing filter .

The problem is that current technology can produce very effective polarizing filters certain wavelengths, but not all of them. The solution may be in the hands (or rather, eyes) of the mantis shrimp.

The eyes of the mantis shrimp are able to discern up to 12 primary colors against the three (red, green and blue that distinguish us), but also have a sophisticated circular polarizing filter that works correctly throughout the visible spectrum and beyond: from the near ultraviolet, to the infrared, allowing them to discern between different polarizations of light.

His eyes have a special cell that can rotate the plane of polarization of light, effectively acting as a filter λ / 4 which can convert linearly polarized light in circular and vice versa.

Mantis shrimp in Indonesia photographed prilfish

Dr. Nicholas Roberts, of Bristol University , has published an article in the October issue of the journal Nature Photonics in which claims to have discovered the mechanism for this mode of operation, opening the door to synthetic emulation by man to create more sophisticated polarizing filters.

Keep in mind that polarizing filters are used extensively in liquid crystal displays, as well as optical disc recorders, so this finding may allow revolutionize the development of many devices, not just filters for targets .