Our eyes are only sensitive to a specific range of electromagnetic waves known as the visible light spectrum. This range encompasses wavelengths between approximately 400 to 700 nanometers, corresponding to the colors of light we perceive as violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.
The ability of our eyes to detect visible light is due to specialized light-sensitive cells called cones and rods located in the retina of our eyes. These cells contain pigments that are sensitive to the specific wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum. When light within this range enters our eyes and interacts with these cells, it triggers electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain, resulting in the sensation of vision.
Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, such as radio waves, microwaves, and infrared waves, have lower frequencies and carry less energy per photon. Our eyes lack the necessary pigments and receptors to detect and convert the energy of these longer wavelengths into visual signals that our brain can interpret.
Similarly, electromagnetic waves with shorter wavelengths, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, X-rays, and gamma rays, have higher frequencies and carry higher energy per photon. Our eyes are also not sensitive to these wavelengths, as we lack the specific pigments and receptors to detect and process them.
While our eyes are limited to perceiving only visible light, we have developed technology and instruments that can detect and measure other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, radio antennas can detect and convert radio waves into electrical signals, which are then processed and interpreted as sound or data by electronic devices. Similarly, we use instruments like infrared cameras, X-ray machines, and gamma-ray detectors to capture and interpret electromagnetic waves outside the visible spectrum for various scientific, medical, and technological applications.