Would it be possible...

[jjrakman]

... for a person to have one of the following mutations:

 

1) to be able to see into the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths

 

2) To be able to hear ultra and infra sonic sound waves.

 

Anyone?

[tomgwyther]

In short; yes.

although most people see and hear things the same way as most other people.

But some do have auditory sense beyond the usual 18hz - 21000hz range, and some can see a slightly larger range of colours in the EM spectrum.

 

If it were an evolutionary advantage to see and hear more, then maybe future generations would have these enhanced senses.

 

As yet I don't have X-ray vision unfortunately.

[jjrakman]

But some do have auditory sense beyond the usual 18hz - 21000hz range, and some can see a slightly larger range of colours in the EM spectrum.

 

Would you know if there's any case studies on such people that I can read up on?

[SkepticLance]

Actually, if you go back far enough in time, our ancestors did have UV vision. We have three types of cones for colour vision. Birds and many reptiles have four, with the fourth being for UV vision. Way back before our ancestors were mammals, they had four cones and could see into the ultra violet. It is quite possible that some of the genetic material for UV vision is still part of our genome, and a relatively small mutation could restore UV vision.

[jjrakman]

Actually, if you go back far enough in time, our ancestors did have UV vision. We have three types of cones for colour vision. Birds and many reptiles have four, with the fourth being for UV vision. Way back before our ancestors were mammals, they had four cones and could see into the ultra violet. It is quite possible that some of the genetic material for UV vision is still part of our genome, and a relatively small mutation could restore UV vision.

 

 

Can any animals see in the Infrared portion?

 

And are there any animals who can hear infrasonic and ultrasonic wavelengths?

[Fuzzwood]

Ultrasonic.../me points at bats, or is that considered supersonic?

[lucaspa]

... for a person to have one of the following mutations:

 

1) to be able to see into the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths

 

2) To be able to hear ultra and infra sonic sound waves.

 

Anyone?

 

I'm not sure of the exact DNA sequences involved in determining these, therefore I don't know if a single mutation would give these abilities. One way would be to compare the DNA sequences of bats -- which can hear in the ultrasonic -- and humans to see how far apart the genes are. Here are a few articles on vision you might want to look up and read: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112098747/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

 

1: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Nov;287(1):1001-12.

 

Diversity of mammalian photoreceptor properties: adaptations to habitat and

lifestyle?

 

Peichl L.

 

Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany.

peichl@mpih-frankfurt.mpg.de

 

All mammalian retinae contain rod photoreceptors for low-light vision and cone

photoreceptors for daylight and color vision. Most nonprimate mammals have

dichromatic color vision based on two cone types with spectrally different visual

pigments: a short-wavelength-sensitive (S-)cone and a long-wavelength-sensitive

(L-)cone. Superimposed on this basic similarity, there are remarkable differences

between species. This article reviews some striking examples. The density ratio

of cones to rods ranges from 1:200 in the most nocturnal to 20:1 in a few diurnal

species. In some species, the proportion of the spectral cone types and their

distribution across the retina deviate from the pattern found in most mammals,

including a complete absence of S-cones. Depending on species, the spectral

sensitivity of the L-cone pigment may peak in the green, yellow, or orange, and that of the S-cone pigment in the blue, violet, or near-ultraviolet. While

exclusive expression of one pigment per cone is the rule, some species feature

coexpression of the L- and S-pigment in a significant proportion of their cones. It is widely assumed that all these variations represent adaptations to specific visual needs associated with particular habitats and lifestyles. However, in many cases we have not yet identified the adaptive value of a given photoreceptor arrangement. Comparative anatomy is a fruitful approach to explore the range of possible arrangements within the blueprint of the mammalian retina and to identify species with particularly interesting or puzzling patterns that deserve further scrutiny with physiological and behavioral assays."

[ecoli]

This is a really cool concept. I wonder how our brain would interpret signals from UV light.

[Fuzzwood]

My guess it would just be a shade of purple, like IR would be a shade of red

[ecoli]

My guess it would just be a shade of purple, like IR would be a shade of red

 

What's your logic behind that?

[Glider]

Can any animals see in the Infrared portion?

 

And are there any animals who can hear infrasonic and ultrasonic wavelengths?

Yes, quite a large number of river fish can. Those that live in murky water have evolved to see in IR, like carp, pirahna and so-on. Goldfish (a type of carp) can see from UV to IR.

[Fuzzwood]

What's your logic behind that?

 

Because IR lies on the red side and UV on the violet side, and we already perceive near IR/UV as red/violet.