Seeing Through Walls: Superman and the Science of Sight

Seeing Through Walls: Superman and the Science of Sight — page 3
Gamma-rays X-rays Ultraviolet light light Visible radiation Microwaves Microwaves SECTION 1 HUMAN SIGHT The first time the waves Radio people of Metropolis saw a blue blur zipping across the sky they were stunned to see a man in flight But they may not have stopped to think about something equally as amazing their ability to see Superman in the first place Take a peek at the science that makes sight possible Light and sight Understanding the science of sight begins with light Just as Superman did as a baby sunlight travels through space to reach our planet But it doesn’t travel on a rocket ship It travels in energy waves The full range of energy waves from the Sun is called the electromagnetic spectrum THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM Electromagnetic waves can be long short or somewhere in between Most of these waves are invisible We can’t see shorter higher energy waves such as gamma rays X-rays and ultraviolet light We also can’t see longer lower energy infrared light waves microwaves and radio waves Visible light which is in the middle of the spectrum is the only light energy we can see