Can't see blue in the tropics?

Here is an article, relaying a fact about tropical cultures that I was previously unaware of.

Apparantly, many tropical cultures have no or very few words for the color blue. Researchers are claiming that this might be because of eye damage to the lens and retina due to ultraviolet B rays, which are stronger near the equator. Apparantly, the effect is that natives are able to see blue when they are young, but as they get older and their eyes are exposed to more ultraviolet rays, their world appears to be tinted yellow.

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/enews/articles/2004/12_17_UV.asp

This is an interesting concept. If true, it would mean that a visiting European tourist might be able to see the blue waters of the Marquesas Islands more vividly than the natives do.

Vern

[ Edited by: ikitnrev on 2005-01-04 12:07 ]

interesting!

that could explain why the 'blue hawaiian' i ordered in kapalua was so bad :)

So, when we look at art from those areas, we should wear Vuarnets.

Very interesting!